Not Here
by SparklyTree3876
Summary: AU set a year after "Countdown to Destruction." The former Astro Rangers and the reformed Karone are now seniors in high school. Andros and Ashley go to her aunt's cabin in the mountains north of Angel Grove for a weekend getaway. They give into their desires and make love. Fate takes an unexpected turn when they learn they are expecting a baby.
1. Early Afternoon Class

Not Here  
By SparklyTreee3876

Rating: PG-13/R

Genre: Romance/Family

Pairings: Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, TJ/Cassie, Adam/Tanya, Rocky/Aisha, Tommy/Kat, Jason/Emily, Zack/Trini, Leo/Kendrix, Mike/Maya, and Kai/OC

Summary: Hi, readers. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Here is my gift to you in the form of a new Power Rangers fic. It is AU set a year after "Countdown to Destruction." This places the year in 1999. This follows only the first six seasons of Power Rangers. I got the idea for the fic when I was watching "Fifteen and Pregnant" starring Kirsten Dunst as a fifteen-year-old girl who becomes pregnant in the midst of her parents' estrangement from each other. I started to wonder what would happen if a Ranger couple had to deal with a teen pregnancy during their senior year of high school. As a result, this fic was born. I will warn everyone ahead of time that this fic will contain sexual content. Some of it may be intense. If you're uncomfortable with that, then I suggest you don't read it when the chapters containing it are posted. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. I hope you enjoy this fic. Constructive criticism is welcome.

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Chapter 1: Early Afternoon Class

The early afternoon sun beamed its rays on Angel Grove High School in late October. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind, their leaves rustling loudly. A northern mockingbird flew through the sky. Another one joined it and chirped to it. Its companion responded to it with chirps of its own. They decided to head downward.

A year had passed since the Astro Rangers managed to foil Dark Specter's assault on the universe. Unfortunately, many planets suffered much damage, which took a while to clean up. Tommy, Kim, Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Kat, Tanya, and Justin learned of Zordon's death when they felt his energy wave pass through them. They returned to the destroyed Power Chamber and paid their respects to him along with Andros, Ashley, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Zhane, and Karone. Many Earth civilians figured out the identities of past Rangers. They were impressed with how ordinary humans came to defend their world and countless others from evil forces. They came to respect them greatly. A planet exchange program was started not long after the battle, where Earth civilians traded places with those from other worlds to experience each other's cultures.

The mockingbirds flew to a second-floor window and landed on the windowsill. They looked inside to see fifty-seven-year-old Rueben Williams writing on his classroom's whiteboard with his red marker. Being Caucasian, he was somewhat tan. He was tall and had short, straight dark brown hair with a few light gray streaks in it. His eyes were light blue, and he was somewhat muscular. His face had few wrinkles. His large classroom had twenty-four desks arranged in six rows of four each. Three desks were empty. On top of his desk sat CDs, cassette tapes, and a boom box with cassette and CD players built into it.

Andros wrote down his teacher's notes. He mumbled inaudible words. He sat at the first desk in the first row. Ashley was seated behind him. She jotted down a few words. Andros stopped writing and looked over at Karone, who was at the first desk of the second row. Karone erased a word she had written and put down another. So did Zhane, who was in the desk behind her.

Andros shifted his attention back to his notes and resumed writing. He, Zhane, and Karone adjusted to permanent life on Earth with the help of TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Ashley, especially when it came to attending high school as juniors in October 1998. When Justin returned to town, he pitched in as well. Ashley suggested that Andros and Karone take the last name of Parker and Zhane to have Hardy for his to signify they were Earth citizens. He and his sister went to live with TJ and his parents, Ricky and Diane. Zhane moved in with Carlos and his parents, Roger and Marie.

Andros and Ashley continued their romantic relationship. They made occasional trips to KO-35 along with Zhane and Karone. Karone became best friends with Ashley and Cassie. They hung out often. Ashley and Cassie took her to the Angel Grove Zoo for the first time three weeks after their return to Earth. She was very fascinated by the animals, especially tigers, lions, leopards, and cheetahs because she had never seen them before. When she learned a membership provided free admission, she signed up for one. She visited the zoo almost every weekend. She spent most of her time at the tiger exhibit, as it was her favorite place. During this time, Andros started to display overprotective behavior toward her. This irritated her a great deal. She felt she could take care of herself and didn't want him telling her what she could and couldn't do. She avoided arguing with him as much as she could. Zhane and Ashley became aware of the overprotectiveness and tried to reason with him, but they didn't get anywhere.

Karone started to express interest in working with the tigers. She confided in Ashley about becoming a tiger trainer in April 1999. Ashley encouraged her to go for it. When Andros found out, he voiced his opposition to it. He didn't want Karone doing it because of animals attacking their trainers. His sister finally lost her temper with him over his overprotectiveness. Ashley sided with her. She and Andros got into a huge argument, which led to them breaking up.

Zhane gave Andros a stern lecture when he saw Karone upset. Andros apologized to her and Ashley. He and his girlfriend reunited. Zhane and Karone started dating a month after Andros and Ashley's reconciliation. The couples went on double dates from time to time. Andros and Zhane decided they wanted to attend Angel Grove University to get teaching degrees. Ashley set her heart on getting one in designing.

Rueben finished writing on the whiteboard. He laid his marker down and headed over to his desk. The students watched him place a tape into the tape player and turn it on. Enya's _Book of Days_ began playing. He walked to the front of his desk and sat on it. He crossed his right ankle over his left. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, and most other students were fascinated by the music and singing. The rest didn't seem to be the least bit interested.

"Focus on Enya's voice as this song plays. How do you perceive it?" Rueben asked.

"I find it very harmonious," Andros answered.

"Me too. It has a very neat vibe to it. I can feel my skin becoming covered in goosebumps," Ashley said, touching her arm.

Rueben smiled lightly. "My skin gets that way too when I listen to music like this, Ashley."

Ashley became surprised. "Really?"

"Sure. It also gives me a tingly feeling inside. It's like it enters my body and calms me down when I feel stressed," Rueben responded.

"Cool," Zhane said, emitting a small chuckle.

"Well, I'm not fond of this song at all, Mr. Williams. In fact, I've never found Enya to be the least bit interesting," a male voice said annoyingly.

Everyone looked toward eighteen-year-old Brian Lawson, who was seated in the first seat of the fourth row. As a Caucasian, Brian looked rather pale. He was as tall as Zhane was, though he wasn't as muscular. His hair was black and short with a shagginess to it. His eyes were dark green.

"That's fine, Brian. Nobody is going to force you to like Enya," Rueben said quietly.

"Good," Brian replied.

"How can Brian say Enya isn't interesting?" Ashley asked, leaning close to Andros. "She's a great singer and musician."

"Don't worry about him. He'll like whatever kind of New Age music he wants," Andros whispered, glancing over his shoulder at her.

Ashley sighed heavily. "I know, but—"

"Is there something you and Andros want to share with the rest of the class, Ashley?" Rueben asked curiously. The couple looked at him.

"No, sir," Ashley replied while shaking her head.

"Good," Rueben commented and exhaled slowly. "Please, don't do that again." He turned off the tape player and took out the tape. He put it in its case before laying it on the desk. "Vocals are an important part of New Age music. They can be performed with or without lyrics."

"Mr. Williams?" Karone asked, raising her hand. 

Rueben pointed his finger at his student. "Yes, Karone."

"I know this doesn't have anything to do with New Age, but I own _The Land Before Time_ soundtrack. There is singing on all of the tracks, but they don't have lyrics with the exception of _If We Hold on Together,_ " Karone said, lowering her hand. "It's quite beautiful."

"It sure is. I own the movie itself," Rueben said, smiling lightly. "When I watch it, I always focus on the music. I listen to the vocals repeatedly. They bring a sense of atmosphere to the scenes they are heard in." He sighed contently.

"That movie is for little kids. It's so stupid," Brian grumbled.

"It's not stupid, Brian," Karone retorted, looking toward him. "It's a wonderful movie with incredible music."

"That's easy to say coming from a girl. Girls always cry at movies like _Bambi_ and _Pinocchio,_ " Brian leered, glaring at her.

"Okay. I admit I do cry at those movies but not most of the others I've seen," Karone growled.

Brian laughed sarcastically as he put his hands behind his head. "Sure, you don't."

"All right, that's enough," Rueben warned.

Brian and Karone looked ahead and held up their hands in surrender. They laid them on their desks. Some students snickered, but Rueben shushed them.

"Vocalizing can be heard in many New Age tracks. Sometimes, no music is heard in the background at all," Rueben said.

"That's interesting," Zhane said.

"Yes, it is. Vocal music is the oldest form of human music. It does not require any sound other than the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music, including solfege," Rueben explained.

"I've read up on solfege. It uses a vocalized musical scale and assigns syllables to each note," Ashley commented.

"That's right, Ashley. Among the syllables is Do-Re-Mi. Many musicians use that to measure someone's vocal range. A variety of similar tools can be found in traditional Indian music," Rueben pointed out.

"Wow," Zhane whispered in awe.

"Elaborate untexted vocal improvisation was and still is an important element in Turkish and Middle Eastern music traditions. Such music existed prior to the thirteenth century and the First Crusade into Palestine and the city of Jerusalem, possibly even before the year 900," Rueben added. He stood up and went to the whiteboard. He picked up his marker to write on it. "We don't know much about vocalizing. It's not even known when humans first started vocalizing."

"Why did early humans find any need to vocalize? It doesn't make sense," Brian commented.

Rueben faced his class, seriousness showing in his eyes. "Maybe they decided they needed to tell the history of their people through song, Brian. They didn't want future generations to forget about them." He cleared his throat.

"Native Americans told the history of their people through song all the time. They still do," Ashley added. "So do other indigenous peoples."

"That's right, Ashley," Rueben said with pride.

Brian scoffed. "Teacher's pet."

"You're the one who belongs on a leash, Brian," Andros said, looking toward him.

"I do not," Brian yelled and became irritated at the class breaking into a fit of laughter.

"The other students seem to think so because they're laughing," Zhane said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Which of us should walk you?" Andros quipped. The other students laughed a little louder.

"All right. Cut it out," Rueben called. The class became quiet as he turned back to the whiteboard and resumed writing on it. He spoke inaudible words as the students wrote down his notes.

00000

Forty-five-year-old Lenny Wyatt walked around his first-floor classroom. He was Asian and had tanned skin. He was tall with a muscular frame, and his face had no wrinkles. His hair was black, straight, and short. His hazel eyes had freckles underneath them. His large classroom had fifteen tables arranged in five rows with three in each of them. Two of the tables were empty, and the rest had two students sitting at each of them with the exception of three. Paint and water cups sat in front of the students.

Lenny put his hands behind his back as he walked behind his students in the last row. Each student looked at him and received a nod of approval from him as he examined their paintings and spoke about them. He made his way toward Justin and Cassie, who sat at the second table in the fourth row. He glanced at their paintings in which the former's was a leopard and the latter's a tiger. He nodded in approval and smiled at them.

"Your paintings are looking good so far, you two," Lenny said.

"Thanks, Mr. Wyatt," Justin and Cassie responded.

Lenny gave his students a nod. "You're welcome."

"If there's one thing I love about art, it's that people can unleash their creativity with it," Justin said with pride.

"I agree. Some paintings are unusual. Have you ever seen Duchamp's _Nude Descending a Staircase?_ " Lenny asked curiously.

"Yes, I have, sir," Justin commented, a big smile crossing his face.

"So have I. It doesn't look anything like a person," Cassie added.

Justin scratched his neck. "I've heard that it was scandalous at the time it was painted."

"Oh, yes," Lenny agreed. "Nudity was seen as terrible in the 1910s. People believed it should be covered up." He rolled his eyes.

"That's crazy," Cassie grumbled with an irritated scoff. "The nude form is beautiful. That can clearly be seen in Michelangelo's _David._ "

"Imagine if someone was offended by the statue because it showed you-know-what and tried to put pants on it," Justin said, trying to suppress a snicker.

"Now, that is really crazy," Lenny responded. "Anyway, keep up the good work, you two."

Justin watched Lenny walk away. He and his father, Doug, moved to San Francisco for his job in October 1997. He ended up skipping his sophomore year and started his junior year while there. They returned to Angel Grove in January 1999, as Doug wanted him to graduate with his friends. Doug also wanted to retire in the city he grew up in.

After turning fourteen on July 5, Justin started to go through puberty. He grew taller and became muscular. His voice began to squeak a lot in preparation for deepening. He decided he wanted to go to Angel Grove University and get a biology degree. As for TJ, Cassie, and Carlos, they were unsure of what degrees they wanted to get. In fact, Cassie wasn't even sure if she wanted to go to college or pursue a music career.

Justin ran his hand over his buzz cut. He took slow yet even breaths before putting it on the table. He dipped his paintbrush in dark yellow paint. He proceeded to run it lightly across the paper. Cassie glanced at the leopard's ears. She appeared to be mesmerized by them.

"I really like how the leopard's ears are pinned against its skull," she commented.

"That's always been my favorite thing about the leopard. It looks so fierce with its ears like that," he explained.

"The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, but it packs quite a punch," Cassie said in warmness.

"Not to mention it can drag its prey up into a tree," Justin pointed out.

Cassie touched her jaw. "You'd have to have powerful jaw muscles in order to do that."

Justin swallowed hard. "No kidding."

"Yep," Cassie replied and got more orange paint. She dabbed it across the paper. Justin gazed at the tiger's tail.

"I really like how that tiger is holding its tail high," Justin commented and chuckled lightly.

"I've always liked seeing tigers with their tails that way. It makes them look so majestic," Cassie explained.

He showed much awe. "It's incredible how the largest tigers can weigh over eight hundred pounds."

She laughed quietly. "I know. They pack a lot of muscle. They can hunt animals much larger than they are."

"Tigers are also known for being man-eaters," a female voice said snobbishly.

Justin and Cassie peered over their shoulders at seventeen-year-old Bianca Leung. Bianca was Asian and was quite pale. She was petite, and her face had so many pimples that someone could connect them to each other and create a picture on it. Her long, straight black hair was up in a ponytail, and her eyes were hazel. She waved her paintbrush in the air as if she were painting a mustache on Cassie.

"I say you'd look good with a mustache, Cassie," Bianca sneered and acted as if she were spitting in the girl's face.

Cassie didn't look the least bit amused. "I could say the same for you."

"You just had to open your big mouth as usual," Justin growled irritatingly.

Bianca smirked at him. "Hey, it's my best asset."

"You need to watch that mouth. No one wants to hear bad words coming out of it," Justin warned.

"Who cares if I say bad words? I'm not hurting anyone," Bianca leered.

"It's more than likely you'd be hurting your friends if you said bad words," a male voice said.

Bianca hissed in irritation and glanced at TJ and Carlos, who sat at the third table in the fifth row. Both boys furrowed their brows.

"You just had to interfere in my conversation with those two, didn't you, TJ?" Bianca asked, pointing her paintbrush at Justin and Cassie.

"Hey, you interfered with Justin and Cassie's conversation first," TJ replied with serious expression on his face.

"It's kind of hypocritical for you to fuss at TJ for interrupting you when you did the same thing to our friends," Carlos added.

"Who cares? I don't have friends because I don't want them. In this world, you need to be looking out for number one," Bianca said, touching her arm.

"Being selfish is the worst thing you can be, Bianca. It will get you nowhere in life," Carlos pointed out.

TJ pointed his paintbrush at Bianca. "Carlos is right. Growing old and alone will be no one's fault but yours."

Bianca waved him off. "I don't care if that happens to me. I'm fine with that."

"That's what everyone who wants to be a loner says," Justin said, his voice squeaking somewhat.

"I intend to stay that way, Justin," Bianca commented, turning to him and Cassie. "On top of that, I wish your voice wouldn't squeak like that."

"I can't help it," Justin growled angrily and touched his throat. "My voice will stop squeaking in time."

"Someone should invent a remote that can mute voices. Then I wouldn't have to hear yours squeak," Bianca commented.

"Someone should mute _your_ voice with such a remote," Lenny said, walking up to Bianca, who glanced at him.

"Hi, sir," Bianca responded, laughing nervously. "How long have you listened to us talking?"

Lenny raised an eyebrow. "Ever since you interrupted Justin and Cassie's conversation. You know it's rude to do that, yet you do it, anyway. Why can't you mind your manners?" He crossed his arms.

Bianca shrugged and smiled weakly. "I don't know, sir. I guess I can't help my big mouth."

"Your mouth is so big that a truck can fit through it," TJ said, his voice showing hints of seriousness.

"Or a blue whale," Carlos added.

The other students started laughing. Bianca shot a glare at TJ and Carlos. She wanted to go over there and yell in their faces, but she knew it'd get her sent to detention. She decided not to bother. The students became quiet when Lenny cleared his throat. He narrowed his eyes at Bianca, who turned back to him.

"Bianca, just because we humans can talk doesn't mean everyone wants to listen to what any of us have to say. Nor do we want anyone butting into our conversations with others. You are old enough to know how rude that is," Lenny said sternly.

Bianca let out a heavy sigh. "As I said before, sir, I can't—"

"Yes, you can. You just don't want to do it," Lenny interrupted sharply. He didn't want to deal with her, but he knew he had no choice. "Now, I will give you this warning. Your big mouth can get you into serious trouble in the real world. People will hurt each other over the littlest things. You'd better watch what you say, or you could end up getting hurt or worse. Is that clear?"

"Loud and clear, sir," Bianca said, swallowing hard.

Lenny licked lips his lips. "Good."

Bianca watched her teacher walk away. She looked at her painting of a boa constrictor. She dipped her paintbrush in dark brown paint and dabbed it on her paper. Justin and Cassie shifted their attention back to their paintings. TJ and Carlos gazed at each other.

"I'm glad we don't have to deal with Bianca for much longer," TJ said and sighed in relief.

"You said it, TJ," Carlos agreed. "If only that remote Bianca mentioned could be used to fast-forward to the end of class."

TJ emitted a light chuckle. "It'd be cool to see everyone go so fast."

Carlos smiled. "It sure would."

The boys gazed at their paintings, of which TJ's was a bottlenose dolphin while Carlos's was an elephant. They dipped their paintbrushes into gray paint and ran them across their papers.

00000

The bell rang sixteen minutes later. Students started coming out of the classrooms. Many proceeded to go to their lockers. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone turned left after they exited Rueben's classroom. They headed down the hallway toward the stairs. They listened to the excited chatter of students who passed them on either side. They turned to each other.

"Everyone seems to be glad this week is almost over," Karone said.

"Who wouldn't be? Everyone knows students don't like to come to school during the week. At least they can sleep in during the weekend," Zhane responded.

Karone giggled. "I always like doing that."

"Me too. Just don't dream about me too much," Zhane joked and snickered under his breath.

"I believe it's _you_ who shouldn't dream about _me_ too much," Karone squeaked in delight.

"Get out of town!" Zhane yelled as he shook his head rapidly.

"No, _you_ get out of town!" Karone said.

"I'll go if you come with me," Zhane said and smiled lightly. He laughed at her slapping him in the shoulder. He pinched her cheek, speaking baby talk. She grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand off.

"If you pinch my cheek again, I'll throw you out the window," Karone threatened playfully.

Zhane smirked at her. "Bring it on."

Karone kissed Zhane's cheek before rubbing it. She sighed contently at feeling him put his arm around her shoulder. She slipped hers around his waist.

"I know one thing I'm looking forward to this weekend. It's my and Ashley's getaway to her aunt's cabin in the mountains," Andros said, turning to Ashley with a loving smile.

"I'm looking forward to that too," Ashley responded, glancing up at him. "I was surprised my parents and aunt approved of it. Most parents wouldn't even think of letting their daughters go with their boyfriends to a remote cabin."

"Everyone knows parents are very protective of their daughters, especially fathers. I can't really blame them. Girls are more likely to find themselves in dangerous situations than boys are. Then again, it doesn't seem fair when girls have stricter curfews than boys do. Both should have the same curfews," Andros commented, sighing heavily.

"I agree," Ashley said, taking a deep breath. "At least TJ's parents didn't give your sister a stricter curfew."

"If they had, I would've agreed with it at first," Andros whispered as he looked toward Karone. "Now, I wouldn't." He turned back to Ashley. "Anyway, I can't wait for tomorrow afternoon to be here."

"Me neither," Ashley said sweetly. "We won't have to worry about anyone or anything for two days. It'll just be us."

Andros wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder. He planted a kiss to her temple. He smiled warmly at her slipping her arm around his waist. Brian passed the quartet. He started singing Phil Collins's _In Too Deep_ way off-key and increased his walking speed. Andros couldn't help but scoff.

"That idiot just had to start singing, didn't he?" Andros grumbled, chuckling bitterly.

"Brian has one of the worst singing voices I've ever heard," Ashley said, shuddering in disgust.

"I don't think he even realizes how bad he sounds," Karone said truthfully.

"I say he's just as bad as Veronica is," Zhane commented.

"Or worse," Karone answered and pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Yep," Ashley agreed. She looked up at her boyfriend. "Don't worry. We have only one more day to deal with him."

"You got that right," Andros said.

The quartet went down the stairs. They saw TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin coming toward them as they reached the bottom.

"Hey, guys," Andros greeted.

"Hey yourselves," TJ responded as he, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin stopped beside the trashcan. "How are you four doing?"

"We're doing fine, except we had to deal with Brian's obnoxiousness in music class as usual," Karone muttered, making a weird noise.

"Bianca opened her big mouth in art class," Justin commented. "Other than that, we're doing fine too." He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

"Thank God school is over for today," Cassie said, her voice filled with relief.

"You said it, Cass," Ashley agreed. "We can do whatever we want for the rest of the day."

"I've got an idea. Why don't we go to the park and have some fun?" Carlos suggested.

Zhane smiled widely. "That's a great idea, Carlos. We can stop by our house and get our Frisbee and football."

"Just make sure that football doesn't have any dynamite in it," TJ quipped and snickered under his breath.

Cassie looked toward TJ with a smirk. "You better get another football if that proves to be true."

"I think you should get that football," TJ commented, turning to her.

"Yeah, right," Cassie replied, smacking him on the shoulder. She ducked when he tried to ruffle her hair. She came back up. "Ha, ha. You were too slow."

"You were just lucky," TJ commented, tickling her nose. "You won't be next time."

Cassie pushed TJ's hand aside. They smiled at each other. They and the others walked down the hallway. They started talking about the Angel Grove Zoo's newest baby Asian elephant, Lindsay.


	2. Having Fun in the Park and Mean Boy

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I can't believe I got nine reviews for chapter one. I didn't think that would happen, but I'm happy it did. I want to thank everyone who reviewed. As for other readers, don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear your ideas for this fic. I want to let everyone know that this fic has been marked as AU. A reviewer suggested I do that, so it could help readers understand it better. The author's notes in chapter one have details about this now. This includes the fic following only the first six seasons of Power Rangers. The summary has also been revised. Details about the career aspects of Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Justin have been changed in chapter one. This chapter has Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, and TJ/Cassie fluff. Stay tuned for chapter three.

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Chapter 2: Having Fun in the Park/Mean Boy

An American robin was running across the grass in Angel Grove Park in the midafternoon. It stopped next to a bush and poked its beak into the ground to pull out a worm. It gobbled its meal down quickly. A Frisbee landed next to it, scaring it off. Cassie approached the Frisbee to pick it up. She turned around, waving at Zhane and Karone. Andros, TJ, and Carlos watched them while sitting on the ground nearby. Ashley sat underneath a tree, reading _Born Free._

"Go long, Zhane!" Cassie shouted.

Zhane gave Cassie a thumbs-up and broke into a run. She threw the Frisbee as hard as she could. She watched it fly a long distance. He picked up his pace as it headed toward the ground. He leapt and caught it, hitting the ground on his stomach. He stood up to wave it in the air.

"Good catch, Zhane!" Cassie called.

Zhane smiled widely. "Thanks, Cassie. Get running. I'm throwing it really long!"

Zhane threw the Frisbee, watching it fly high. Cassie went into a full-blown charge. She watched it carefully. She jumped into the air, catching it. She landed on her feet gracefully and laughed in victory. Zhane and Karone ran up to her.

"Nice jump," Zhane said, clapping three times.

"You would've flown if you had wings," Karone added, a giggle leaving her mouth.

Cassie tossed the Frisbee upward and caught it. "Well, I did fly on a Galaxy Glider when I was a Power Ranger."

Zhane raised an eyebrow. "So did Andros, Ashley, TJ, Carlos, and me when we were Rangers."

"How can I forget?" Cassie asked with a snicker. "Anyway, go long, you two!"

Zhane and Karone stepped backward ten paces. They watched Cassie toss the Frisbee toward them. They went into a run as it sailed over their heads. Karone increased her stride, holding up her hand. She caught it before skidding to a halt. Zhane stopped beside her, and they looked toward Cassie.

"Here it comes, Cassie!" Karone yelled.

Cassie nodded at her friend and started running as Karone threw the Frisbee very hard. She increased her speed as it sailed over her head. Suddenly, Justin jumped out from behind a medium-sized boulder and caught it. He landed on his feet very gracefully. Cassie skidded to a halt, her eyes growing wide in surprise. Zhane and Karone ran to her side, looking just as surprised.

"Justin, I can't believe you did that!" Cassie shouted in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist!" Justin replied, moving his eyebrows up and down. "I don't think I've seen three people look more surprised than all of you did." He snickered under his breath.

"Very funny, Justin. Now, give us that Frisbee," Zhane demanded firmly.

"I will by throwing it to you," Justin said, taking a deep breath. "Now, get running!"

Zhane and Karone started running as Justin threw the Frisbee. They increased their speed as it sailed over their heads. They leapt for it, holding out their hands. She managed to catch it. She landed on her feet while he hit the ground on his stomach. She looked down at him, laughing.

"Aw. Little Zhane has fallen and can't get up," Karone taunted playfully.

"All because of you!" Zhane said in mock anger.

She waved the Frisbee at him. "Maybe I should fill this thing with whipped cream and put it in your face. That way, I can say I pied you."

He stood up with a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah. Then you can put a cherry on top and get spoons for everyone, so you can eat me up."

Karone hit Zhane on top of his head with the Frisbee three times. He snatched it out of her hand and gazed at Justin and Cassie. He tossed it at them, and they broke into a charge when it went over their heads. Justin held out his hand, catching it. He and Cassie skidded to a halt. He threw it back to Zhane, who caught it easily. Andros, TJ, and Carlos couldn't stop themselves from chuckling.

"They're having so much fun throwing that Frisbee around," TJ commented, his hands balling into fists.

"No kidding. Zhane, Karone, and Cassie looked so funny when Justin surprised them by jumping out from behind that boulder and catching it," Andros said, propping his head up with his elbow on his knee.

"I would've if any of my friends did that when I was trying to catch one," Carlos said honestly.

"Or a football," Andros added.

"Look on the bright side. Justin wasn't wearing a gorilla suit when he jumped out from behind that boulder," Carlos joked with a snicker.

TJ beat on his chests with his fists. He growled as if he were a gorilla. "Thorg hungry! Thorg want eat!"

Carlos raised an eyebrow as he looked at him. "You've been watching _Rugrats,_ haven't you, Teej?"

"Yes, I have," TJ answered and became still. He turned to Carlos. "I can't get enough of Thorg the gorilla. He sends me into a fit of laughter every time I hear his only line." He laughed quietly.

"One time, TJ laughed so loud that everyone in the house heard him," Andros said, groaning loudly. "His dad said he sounded like a hyena."

"At least I didn't shatter the windows," TJ quipped and eyed Andros with a chuckle.

"The only way you can do that is if you sing like an opera singer," Andros pointed out.

"He's got you there, buddy," Carlos said, patting TJ's shoulder. They watched Justin, Cassie, Zhane, and Karone play Frisbee once more. An idea clicked in his head. "What do you say we join their game?"

"Okay," TJ agreed and looked at Andros. "You want to join us?"

Andros shook his head. "Nah. I'm going to join Ashley under the tree."

"Suit yourself," Carlos responded and stood up along with TJ. "Let's go, Teej."

TJ and Carlos headed toward their friends. The former went with Zhane and Karone while the latter joined Justin and Cassie. Karone gave TJ the Frisbee, and he threw it very hard. Justin, Carlos, and Cassie chased after it when it went over their heads. Carlos held out his hand and caught it. Andros rose to his feet and approached Ashley, who looked up at him with a smile.

"You mind if I join you?" Andros asked.

"Not at all," Ashley answered and scooted over to make room for him. He seated himself beside her. He shifted his position until he was comfortable. He looked at her book.

"You can't get enough of reading that book, can you?" Andros commented with a sly smile.

"Nope. Elsa's story is so incredible. She went through a lot in learning how to be a wild lion. She remembered George and Joy Adamson after not seeing them for a year. Despite not having much contact with mother lionesses, she managed to rear three cubs," Ashley said in awe.

"I can understand why the Adamsons didn't want to send Elsa to a zoo. They were uncomfortable with that, though they knew she'd likely live longer," he said, furrowing his brow.

"It's okay to be uncomfortable with animal captivity, but there is no need to be ugly about it," she said, rolling her eyes as she closed her book. She laid it in her lap.

He scoffed in annoyance. "That reminds me of those protesters you and I saw when we were going to the zoo three months ago. They were standing on the sidewalk while we were waiting to take the right turn into the entrance. They were waving their signs and calling us animal killers. One of them approached the car and called you a whore." He curled his hands into fists so tight that he'd break glasses if he were holding them. "I really wanted to get out and punch that guy, but I decided not to."

She wrapped her arm around his. "I'm glad you didn't. He could've pulled a gun on you and shot you." She laid her head on his shoulder.

"I know," Andros said and sighed quietly. "Besides, the bastard wasn't worth it. We had a nice time, anyway."

"My favorite part was the tiger show. Elsie was so wonderful with Charger," Ashley whispered sweetly.

"Everyone knows the bond between animal and trainer is one of trust. I hope Karone can handle being an animal trainer. It's not a glamorous job. She will have to get dirty," Andros said, concern showing in his voice.

"She'll be fine. Don't be so concerned," Ashley assured.

"I'm her brother. It's my job to be concerned about her," he pointed out.

"And it's also your job to be concerned about me because you're my boyfriend," she said with a giggle. "It's my job to be concerned about you because I'm your girlfriend. The same goes for so many others with their spouses, siblings, parents, etc. Now, relax. Your sister will be fine. Her love for tigers will help her through the process of training them."

Andros shook his head, chuckling quietly. He wondered how his girlfriend became so wise. Though he was still concerned about Karone's career prospects, he was determined to support her.

"Okay. I'll try not to be so concerned about my sister," he announced.

"Great," she squeaked happily. She took her head off his shoulder and kissed his cheek. She released her hold on him.

"Hey, is that Leonardo DiCaprio down there?" Andros asked, glancing toward a field.

"Where?" Ashley yelled excitedly and looked in her boyfriend's direction, unaware he was reaching for her book. She became disappointed when she didn't see the actor and turned back to him just as he pulled it away. She showed mock-annoyance. "You little sneak!"

"Ha, ha. I made you look. I thought you would've learned not to fall for that by now," Andros smirked.

"I can't help it when someone mentions one of my favorite actors. Now, give me my book!" Ashley demanded and tried to reach for it, but he held it high above her head.

"Try again," Andros said, wiggling it.

"Okay," Ashley said and got on her knees. She snatched it from him. She waved it in his face. "Ha, ha. I got it back."

He laughed with much sarcasm. "Lucky you. Now, I want to give something else."

She smiled slyly as she put her book aside. "What's that?"

Andros cupped Ashley's chin in his hand and kissed her on the lips. She slipped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. She moaned at his tongue entering her mouth and tracing every inch of it. They broke apart, breathing deeply. He smiled lovingly at her.

"I can't wait to do lots of that at the cabin," Andros whispered.

"Me neither," Ashley responded. "It's going to be so romantic."

He pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you so much."

She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "I love you too."

The lovebirds shared a sweet kiss and hugged each other tightly. They stayed this way for a long time before pulling apart. They gazed at each other, taking slow yet even breaths.

"It's hard to believe it's been a year since Zordon died. It feels like only yesterday," he said, sighing heavily.

"I can never forget how overwhelmed we were in the final battle against Astronema. I thought we wouldn't make it out alive," she whispered, fear lining her voice.

Andros swallowed hard. "If I hadn't shattered Zordon's energy tube, she'd have the universe under her control right now."

Ashley let out a soft sniffle. "That wasn't easy for you to do."

"No, it wasn't," Andros muttered with much guilt. "I wanted to find another way to save the universe, but there wasn't any other way. I had to do it." His voice cracked with sobs, and he wiped a tear from his eye.

"You were so brave to do that," Ashley murmured comfortingly while laying a hand on her boyfriend's arm. "Zordon would be very proud of you. You saved the entire universe. Moreover, you got your sister back."

"Karone is remorseful for what she did as Astronema, but she doesn't let her past bother her at all. She's focused on the present and future. I'm so proud of her," Andros said, smiling lightly.

"So am I," Ashley agreed. She kissed his cheek and gave him another hug. He responded by hugging her back. They broke apart after ten seconds. "You know something? I'm so lucky my boyfriend is from another world. Many girls are so jealous of me."

"Let them be jealous. I'm not giving you up," Andros said with pride and determination.

"All the boys can be jealous of you because I'm not giving you up either," Ashley said, a giggle escaping her lips.

"How many boys is that?" a male voice asked snobbishly.

Andros and Ashley winced painfully. They looked toward eighteen-year-old Johnny Hernandez, who stood a short distance away from them. As a Hispanic, Johnny was tanned. He was as tall as Andros was and was slightly more muscular. His short, straight black hair was neatly combed back with a tiny piece sticking out in the middle. His dark brown eyes had freckles underneath them. He walked toward Andros and Ashley as they stood up. He stopped before them.

"Well, if it isn't the prettiest girl in school hanging around the alien boy," Johnny said with a chuckle.

"What do you want, Johnny?" Ashley demanded.

Johnny smirked smugly at her. "Just a date with you."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Get real, you big goon. I wouldn't date you if my life depended on it."

"Oh, my feelings are hurt," Johnny replied mockingly and began fake crying.

"Doesn't a banana brain like you ever give up? Ashley doesn't want to go out with you," Andros said firmly.

"We'd be together if it weren't for you. I'm better-looking than you are," Johnny said confidently.

"That's what you think, Johnny-boy," Karone said as she, Zhane, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin walked toward the group. She had the Frisbee in her hand. Johnny looked at them with a laugh as they stopped before it.

"Well, if it isn't Astronema and her little friends," Johnny sneered. "You going to zap me with your staff?"

Karone rolled her eyes. She hated when people mocked her about her past. Of course, she knew it wasn't worth getting angry over. She stared Johnny in the eye.

"You'll never have to worry about me hurting you like that, but you're wrong about your looks. My brother is more handsome than you can ever hope to be because he has something you don't have. It's a handsome inner person. _Your_ inner person is as ugly as shit. When it comes out, it ruins your outer handsomeness big time," Karone said.

"Even an average-looking boy would look better than you do when his handsome inner person shines through," Zhane added bluntly.

"Give me a break. How you look on the outside is way more important than what you look on the inside," Johnny said, turning his nose upward.

"I wouldn't hold that nose so high if I were you," TJ warned.

"You might drown if it pours down rain," Justin joked. The others broke into a fit of laughter.

"I don't have to worry about that, Smart Boy," Johnny answered and looked at Justin as the latter's friends became quiet. "It's not going to rain today. You guys just don't have what it takes…"

As Johnny continued talking, Karone glanced at his shoelaces on his bright green tennis shoes. She narrowed her eyes at them. The shoelaces started to untie themselves. Zhane noticed this and struggled to keep himself from laughing. Karone made the shoelaces tie together in one big bow in between Johnny's shoes. She looked at him once she was finished.

"That's why I am God's gift to women," Johnny said, putting his hand on his hip and looking toward the sky.

"Sure, you are," Carlos responded sarcastically.

"Hey, I am. There's nothing you can do about it. Now, if you'll excuse me—," Johnny said and turned to walk away, only to trip and fall flat on his face. The entire group burst into laughter.

"You seem to have a gift of tripping over your own feet," Cassie quipped.

The group laughed a little harder as Johnny rolled over, feeling very embarrassed. He saw his shoelaces tied together. He became enraged and looked at Andros, Zhane, and Karone. The group became quiet.

"One of you did this, didn't you?" Johnny demanded.

"I did it with my telekinesis. You were so busy blabbing that you didn't even notice," Karone answered truthfully.

"Someone should give you a better attention span for Christmas," Ashley joked.

"And a brain," Justin added, wiggling his eyebrows. He and his friends laughed once more. They quieted themselves.

"Ha, ha, ha. That was _so_ funny I died laughing," Johnny said with much sarcasm and untied his shoelaces. He tied them properly and rose to his feet. Smugness showed on his face as he focused his attention on Ashley. "I'll get that date with you, Ashley. Just you wait."

"Keep waiting because it'll never happen," Ashley responded in a firm yet fierce manner. "I'm staying with Andros, no matter what you say."

Johnny huffed and walked away. He started snapping his fingers and singing nonsense. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin chuckled to themselves.

"Johnny Hernandez should have his own TV show," Zhane said, crossing his arms.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it'd last long. People would be turned off by his arrogance," TJ commented.

"Or they just might be entertained by it," Justin said hopefully.

Ashley turned to Andros as she put her arm around his waist. "At least we have only more day to worry about him."

Andros slipped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. "You got that right."

"What do you all say we head to the Surf Spot for a while?" Cassie suggested. She smiled at her friends voicing their agreement. "All right. Let's go."

"I bet I can beat you in a game of pool, Cassie," TJ challenged, glancing at her.

"You're on. The loser has to buy the winner a drink," Cassie responded and turned to him, holding out her hand. "What do you say?" She giggled in a quiet manner.

"It's a deal," TJ replied and shook her hand. "It's too bad I didn't have an electric hand buzzer. You would've gotten a real shock from that."

Cassie shook her head in disbelief. "You're weird, TJ."

TJ smirked. "I know you are, but what am I?"

Cassie slapped TJ on the arm, laughing softly. Everyone grabbed his or her backpacks. Ashley got her book. She and the others left the park.


	3. Heading to the Cabin

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Here's chapter three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. More will come in the next few chapters. Don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what ideas you have for this fic. Stay tuned for chapter four.

XXXXX

Chapter 3: Heading to the Cabin

The late afternoon sun beamed its rays on a stretch of forest highway in the mountains north of Angel Grove the next day. A white-tailed deer pulled bark off a tree on the right and gobbled it down very quickly. It licked its lips before reaching for another piece. It watched a white Chevy van pass it. The van had a tiny scratch in the driver's door below the handle. A slight dent was in the middle of the passenger's door. Ashley moved her hands down the steering wheel. She looked toward the sky, seeing a large cloud move over the sun.

Ashley turned her attention toward a sleeping Andros, who had his head on a small stuffed white tiger she had won for him at the state fair last month. The tiger was leaned against the door. She couldn't stop herself from smiling. She thought he looked so peaceful. She was glad they wouldn't have to deal with anyone or anything during the weekend. She hoped nothing would interrupt their time alone.

She shifted her attention back to the road. She saw a pothole come into view and drove around it, narrowly avoiding it. She got her van straight quickly. She heard moaning and looked over to see her boyfriend waking up. He rubbed his eyes while letting out a long yawn. He stretched his arms above his head. He scratched his neck and gazed at his girlfriend, who gave him a small smile.

"Nice to see you awake, sleepyhead," Ashley said lovingly. "You've been out like a light for two hours." She turned back to the road.

"What did you expect after spending all day at school?" Andros asked with a slight chuckle.

"I was expecting you to be yapping your head off during the ride with me," Ashley joked.

He showed some guilt and yawned again. "I'm sorry if I disappointed you."

"No sweat. You needed the rest," she replied sweetly. "Besides, I can't sleep while driving."

"At least you were able to sleep on the Megaship when it was on autopilot," he pointed out.

She nodded in agreement. "That's true. Then again, I wouldn't mind someone inventing an automobile that could drive itself, so I can sleep."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Andros said, smiling lightly.

"Of course, I do enjoy driving and watching the landscape go by," Ashley said with a small giggle.

"So do I," Andros agreed.

She winked at him, and he responded in kind. She peered at him in the corner of her eye as he brought the tiger in front of him and looked at it. He flicked each of its ears before playing with its whiskers.

"You really like that tiger, don't you?" Ashley wondered.

"Oh, yes. It has such soft fur," Andros answered, laying it in his lap. "It made the perfect pillow." He patted the top of its head.

"Most stuffed animals do. They're a source of comfortable for many people," Ashley said, focusing her attention on the road.

"Whenever I look at this tiger, I feel like you're right there beside me," Andros commented.

"I'm glad to hear that," Ashley smiled. "Come to think of it. One of us should buy the other a drink when that person loses a bet."

"TJ didn't look too pleased after he lost his and Cassie's game of pool yesterday, but a deal was a deal. He had to buy her a drink," Andros said, holding up his hand.

"At least he bought her a strawberry-banana smoothie. That's her favorite," Ashley responded.

He put his hands behind his head. "Ain't that the truth?"

She emitted a mock angry hiss. "Don't say ain't. It's not a word."

"Hey, you just said it," he retorted playfully.

"Only because you made me say it," she smirked.

Andros laughed with much sarcasm. "Yeah, right."

Ashley shook her head while making a weird noise. She spotted a bump in the road and attempted to drive around it, but she ended up hitting it. She and Andros bounced up and down in their seats. She appeared very guilty.

"I'm sorry for hitting that bump and making you bounce in your seat," Ashley apologized seriously and straightened the van with a turn of the wheel. "I couldn't avoid it completely."

"It's okay. I like bouncing up and down in my seat! It's fun!" Andros said excitedly. He raised his arms in the air and waved them back and forth. He bounced up and down in his seat, singing a scat. She laughed and placed her hands at the top of the wheel.

"You got it going on, Andros!" Ashley yelled joyfully.

"I sure do!" Andros cheered. "You should join me in bouncing around, Ash."

"I'd love to, but I've got to drive," Ashley responded.

He became grumpy and crossed his arms. "Aw! You're no fun!"

She showed defiance. "Don't pull that grumpy look on me. It won't work."

"It should!" Andros growled playfully. He felt her smack him in the back of his head. He punched her in the arm. She rubbed it and acted as if she were in pain. He gave her a mock sympathetic look. "Aw. Did I hurt the little baby?"

"Yes, you did," Ashley answered, looking as if she were about to cry.

"Well, let me make it feel better," he said and smiled warmly. He kissed his hand and patted her arm after she removed hers. She sighed in relief.

"Thanks. That makes my arm feel much better," she said.

"You're welcome," Andros said.

"Do you think you could give me a kiss right here?" Ashley asked and tapped her cheek.

"I don't see why not," Andros said warmly.

Ashley waved her hand toward herself. "Come on! You're wasting time!"

Andros laughed. "Okay! Okay!"

Andros leaned over to kiss Ashley on the cheek. He pinched it very lightly before settling back down in his seat. He glanced toward the trees, watching them go by.

"It's amazing how tall those trees can grow," Andros whispered and propped his head up with his elbow.

"I heard the Redwood Forest has trees that are over three hundred fifty feet tall," Ashley said.

"KO-35 has trees that are just as tall," Andros said and turned to his girlfriend. "It takes thousands of years for trees to grow that tall."

"Yes, they do," Ashley whispered. "Of course, you don't want to be in the way when a tall tree falls."

"No shit. You'd be squished flat if one fell on you," Andros said, his voice showing seriousness.

"Some people will actually stand under trees during lightning storms. That is so dangerous," Ashley grumbled with a shake of her head.

"I've seen pictures of trees split down the middle from lightning strikes. The halves are in perfect symmetry with each other," Andros said.

"Now, that's incredible!" Ashley exclaimed. She spotted a bump in the road and drove around it. She got the van straight and sped up somewhat. "Despite the danger, I'd still love to visit the Redwood Forest someday."

"Maybe we could camping go there for Spring Break," Andros suggested.

A big smile crossed Ashley's lips. "That's a great idea. We could have a tent all to ourselves."

"Just don't think of climbing one of those redwoods. I don't want to have to call the fire department to get you down," Andros snickered.

"Andros, the fire department can't drive a truck into that forest. The terrain is too rough," Ashley replied with a shake of her head.

Andros put his hands behind his head. "I know. I was just playing around."

Ashley stuck her tongue out at Andros, who blew her a raspberry. They turned their attention to the highway as they passed a black bear feeding on a bush's leaves.

00000

A bobcat wandered into the driveway of Raylene Hammond's cabin two hours later. The medium-sized cabin had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was set on top of a hill, which led down to a huge lake. A dock poked out from the center on the right side. A motorboat was tied to a hook near the edge of it. The water splashed against both as a gentle wind went over the surface. Trees stood close to the lake's edge on all sides. They were behind the cabin as well.

The bobcat stopped and lowered its head. It sniffed at the gravel, its ears swiveling. It caught a scent and started to paw at it. It became eager to get at whatever could be under it. A roaring engine scared it off into the forest. Ashley brought her van into the driveway. She stopped it and turned off the engine. She turned to Andros, smiling at him.

"We're here," she announced.

"About time! My legs feel like they're about to fall off!" he exclaimed.

Ashley couldn't stop herself from laughing. "Your legs would really be falling off if we hadn't decided to stop at that store to go to the bathroom. Come to think of it. Why don't you give them to me, so I can use them? They're stronger than mine."

Andros shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I need them."

Ashley waved Andros off. They got out of the jeep and stretched their legs for a minute before heading for the back door. She searched for the correct key and found it. She unlocked the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking. She ventured inside, followed by him.

She flipped the switch, flooding the medium-sized kitchen with light. He walked forward as he looked around it, finding it had a bar with four stools, a hardwood table with four unmatching chairs, and a portable TV near the sink. He appeared to be very impressed. She came to his side.

"I like the kitchen," Andros said with a nod.

Ashley touched his arm. "I'll show you the living room."

Andros and Ashley headed for the living room, which was large and had a fireplace, a couch, two pine end tables, and an oak coffee table. Animal skins and heads hung from the walls. A TV with a VCR sitting on top of it sat next to the fireplace.

They stopped next to the coffee table. He walked forward, touching the mantle once he got to it. He picked up a bluebird sculpture and ran his hand over it. The bluebird was perched on a tree branch, and its wings were spread far apart. He placed it back on the mantle as she came to his side. He looked at the skins and heads before turning to her.

"The living room is beautiful, Ashley. I don't think I've ever seen so many animal heads and skins on walls," Andros whispered in awe.

"Aunt Raylene loves to hunt in the woods behind the cabin. She never misses an opportunity during hunting season," Ashley explained.

He raised his eyebrows. "I see."

She took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Come on. I want to show you something."

She led him upstairs. They entered the first room on the right. The room was large with a king-sized bed, a pine dresser, two matching pine nightstands, and a TV with a VCR embedded into it. A desk and a computer with a cable modem attached to the wall were off in the corner.

Ashley pulled Andros out onto the balcony, which had a swing on it. He gasped in amazement at the sight before him. He could see the entire valley from this spot. Mountains stood tall in the distance. They were dotted with many trees that had spots between them. He felt her slip her arm around his and lay her head on his shoulder.

"I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful sight, Ash," Andros whispered lovingly.

"The best part about it is you being here with me," Ashley replied, sighing in content. He pulled his arm out of her grasp and put it around her shoulder. He rocked her back and forth. She smiled mischievously and pinched his butt. She ran off. He stared after her.

"Why you little sneak! Come back here right now!" Andros shouted, pretending to be annoyed.

Ashley laughed in delight. "You have to catch me first!"

She picked up her pace. He chased her downstairs, catching her before she could reach the back door. He unleashed a tickle attack on her sides. She burst into a fit of laughter.

"Now, say you're sorry for pinching my butt," Andros demanded.

"No way!" Ashley shouted defiantly. He growled and tickled her stomach. She screamed with so much laughter that a white-tailed deer that had wandered close to the back door ran off in fright. "All right, I'm sorry." She started to run out of breath.

"Thank you," Andros said and released his hold on her. "I'm sorry I made you run out of breath."

She panted hard, managing to catch her breath. "That's okay."

"Just remember that no one messes with a former Ranger and gets away with it," he declared, smiling smugly.

"Don't get too smug. It'll bite you in the ass," she warned with a giggle.

He crossed his arms. "I'm okay with that. Now, try to get out of this!"

He uncrossed his arms and squeezed her neck. She wiggled herself out of his grasp and pulled him into a headlock. She wrestled him to the floor. He managed to get free. He pushed her to the floor on her back, pinning her down with his weight. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. She struggled against his grasp to no avail.

"Okay! You win! I surrender!" Ashley cried.

"Good," Andros said and let her go. "Remember who the boss in this relationship is." A big smirk crossed his face.

"I believe that'd be me. There is one rule you forgot. Never release your hold on your girlfriend!" Ashley yelled and flipped him over on his back. She pinned him down with her weight. She got a hold of his wrists, pinning them above his head. He struggled against her grasp, but he couldn't get free. "You give?"

"Yeah. I give," Andros said. She smirked and released her hold on him. She got up and helped him to his feet. He rubbed his wrists. "Damn. Your grip is strong."

"That's what happens when you work out five days a week," she said proudly.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Now, come here!"

He unleashed another tickle attack on her sides. She shrieked with so much laughter that two northern mockingbirds perched on the sink window's windowsill flew away in fright. She wiggled herself free from his grasp. She jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He pretended to lose his balance. He got down on his knees.

"I don't think I can hold you on my back much longer," Andros groaned.

"Come on. Get up. You can do it," Ashley giggled.

He grunted and acted as if he couldn't stand. She faked yawning in boredom and laid her head on top of his as he struggled to get up. He became determined and made his way to his feet. He lifted his arms above his head in victory.

"Yes! I did it!" Andros yelled excitedly.

"Good for you!" Ashley said with pride and leapt off his back. She went around to the front of him. "Remember who your main source of strength is."

"How can I forget?" Andros said sweetly. He took hold of her cheeks and kissed her on the forehead. He tickled her nose. He laughed when she mimicked his action with his. They hugged each other. They remained this way for forty seconds before pulling apart. "What do you say we go get our luggage?"

"I say let's do it," Ashley answered, giggling lightly. They headed to the van to unload their luggage.


	4. Just a Pleasant Evening

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter five.

XXXXX

Chapter 4: Just a Pleasant Evening

Ashley pressed a spatula on the first of three burgers in a skillet on the kitchen stove around early evening. She did the same with the second and third. She peeked at each of their undersides, nodding in satisfaction. She went to get three slices of cheese from the refrigerator. She returned to the stove and removed the plastic from them. She put them on the burgers. She peered over her shoulder at two plates, two knives, buns, and chips that lay on the table. She turned to a plate that sat on the counter next to the stove, as did two iced tea-filled glasses. Andros walked in, and she smiled at him.

"The burgers are almost ready, Andros," she said warmly.

"Great," he said happily and came up behind his girlfriend to wrap his arms around her waist. "You make great burgers."

She laughed lightly. "You can thank my dad. He taught me how to make them just right."

"I hope his burgers didn't end up on the ceiling when he flipped them," Andros joked.

"None did, but a few did drop on the floor," Ashley replied. "He covered for that by making extras." She tapped the spatula on the skillet.

"That was smart of him," Andros commented.

"It's better to make an extra burger than to lose one and be short," Ashley said and motioned toward the burgers.

He released his hold on her and went to her side. "Just don't flip them too high and get them stuck on the ceiling. They won't come down."

"They could along with the cheese. Then we'd be real cheeseheads!" Ashley squeaked in joy. He took a piece of her hair and tickled her cheek with it. She elbowed her boyfriend in the side. She watched him grab it and groan in pain. She gave him a stern look. "Oh, come on! I didn't hurt you!"

"You did so! In fact, you may have bruised one of my ribs!" Andros muttered and whimpered pitifully.

"Let me see. I can make it feel better," Ashley said and approached him carefully after setting the spatula down.

Andros nodded slowly. "Please do."

She touched his side, screaming in surprise when he grabbed her around the waist. She beat her fists on his arms in an effort to get free, but she was unable to. He gazed down at her with a big smirk on his face.

"It's no use struggling, little girl. I've got you, and I'm not letting you go!" Andros said menacingly.

"You better let me go or else!" Ashley retorted.

Andros snickered as he raised an eyebrow. "Or else what?"

"This!" she yelled and stepped on his foot. He yelped in pain, letting go of her. She went behind him and grabbed his hands. She pulled them behind his back. She held them firm. He looked over his shoulder at her. "You do that again, and you'll find your hands tied behind your back!" She jerked his arms upward, making him wince painfully. "You got that?"

"Yes, ma'am!" he responded and looked over his shoulder at her. "Then again, I'd love for you to tie my hands behind my back. I could try to get you with my feet instead." He winked at her.

"Oh, you!" Ashley growled playfully. She planted a kiss on his cheek and let go of him. She headed toward the burgers after seeing the cheese had melted. She turned off the burner. She grabbed the spatula. She used it to put them on the plate. She removed the skillet from the burner and put it on another. He came to her side.

"Is there anything you want me to do?" Andros asked.

"You can get the rest of the stuff we need for the burgers from the refrigerator," Ashley suggested as she laid the spatula on the skillet. She got the plate.

Andros saluted her. "Yes, ma'am!"

He headed to the refrigerator to get the mustard, mayo, ketchup, and pickles. She brought the burgers over to the table, as did he with his stuff. They placed all of it beside the buns. They got their teas and brought them to the table. They laid them down. They sat beside each other and started to fix their buns.

"It's nice we're having dinner together in this cozy cabin. I never imagined it happening," Andros said as he spread mustard on his bun.

"Thank God that Aunt Raylene said we could have it for the weekend," Ashley said in relief while spreading mayo on her bun. "She even said we could have it for Christmas Break if we wanted."

He smiled at her. "I'd like to stay here at some point during Christmas Break. Would you?"

She showed thoughtfulness. "I'd like that. How about we come here on Christmas Day after we spend time with our families and stay for four days?"

"It's a deal," he replied and gave her a thumbs-up. He chuckled at her kissing his cheek.

"I think staying four days at the cabin is enough for me. Some people actually go crazy if they stay in cabins for even just a short time," she whispered and emitted a painful wince.

"I guess they think being surrounded by nature is stupid and annoying," Andros suggested.

"Who knows?" Ashley asked with a shrug. They got burgers and put them on their buns. They put chips on their plates and napkins in their laps.

"Look on the bright side. I got a great cook here," Andros said lovingly and took her hand into his.

"So are you," Ashley pointed out.

Andros smiled. "Yes, but you are better at it."

Ashley giggled loudly. "Thanks."

He brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. He tickled the back of it, which made it break out in goosebumps. She squeezed his gently. They let go of each other and picked up their burgers. They took bites out of them, chewing them up and swallowing. He nodded in approval after they put them down.

"This burger is killer, Ash. You did it again," Andros said proudly.

"Thanks," Ashley replied. "It's amazing what you can do with spices." She moved her eyebrows up and down.

"We should cover dirt in spices and see how it tastes," Andros snickered.

"You should try it first," she said.

"Nah. I don't want dirt in my teeth," he responded and shook his head.

"Aw!" Ashley mumbled and made a big pout.

"Don't try that pout. It won't work," Andros said defiantly. She stopped pouting and huffed to herself. He smiled and placed his arm around her. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "You're really cute when you pout."

"Maybe I should do that more often," Ashley said with a small smile.

"You should. Not only does it make you cute, but it also brings out your eyes," Andros said and flicked her nose.

"Thanks," Ashley said. He pinched her nose. He tickled it, smiling widely when he heard a giggle come from her. They looked down at their meals.

"What do you say we eat these burgers before they get cold?" Andros suggested.

"Yeah!" Ashley answered with much pride. They picked up their burgers and ate more of them. They sipped their tea before eating some chips.

00000

Ashley scrubbed a plate with a sponge in soapy water around thirty minutes later. She managed to get it clean and rinsed it off. She handed it to Andros, who put it in the dishwasher's bottom part. She cleaned up the spatula and gave it to him. She watched him slip it in the dishwasher's top part. She got the skillet and started to scrub it.

"It's not every day a guy helps do the dishes," Ashley said.

"You're not kidding. TJ doesn't like helping with the dishes, but I don't mind. It keeps me busy," Andros said.

She formed a small smile on her face. "It's a fact you like staying busy. Of course, you do have to rest."

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't think I'd ever forget that."

"Tommy once told me he was quite forgettable when he started high school, but he got better as time went on. He tries his hardest to remember stuff," Ashley said, emitting a light chuckle.

"Everyone knows there's always room for improvement. That is until you're certain you've done your best," Andros said, letting out a long exhale.

"That's all anyone asks of us," Ashley said.

"Unfortunately, some people expect perfection and nothing less," Andros grumbled and rolled his eyes. "They whine and complain when something is just a tiny bit out of place."

"Veronica thinks she's perfect and can do no wrong," Ashley muttered, bitterness showing in her voice. "Give me a break. She's the most imperfect person I've ever met." She stuck her tongue out of the right side of her mouth and made a weird noise.

"I agree. If she thinks putting other down will get her through life, she's got another coming," Andros said. He saw her pull her tongue back into her mouth.

"That's the truth. She might be attending college to become a lawyer, but we'll be doing the same after we graduate. We'll just be getting different degrees," Ashley said, holding up the sponge.

He patted her shoulder gently. "I can see her being jealous of you when you become a famous fashion designer."

She giggled. "Oh, yeah."

She got the skillet clean and rinsed it off. She gave it to him, and he put it on the bottom. He filled the compartment with dishwashing soap and closed the dishwasher. He turned it on and watched her drain the sink. She gave him a high-five after washing the soapsuds off her hands.

"Great teamwork," Ashley said.

"I'm always willing to work on a team with you," Andros said, squeezing her hand tightly.

"It's good you said that. I would've pulled you into a headlock if you didn't," Ashley smirked.

Andros became very smug. "Ha! That doesn't scare me!"

Ashley pointed her finger at him after he let go of her. "Don't act all smug! You'll never know what will hit you in the face!"

"It still doesn't scare me," Andros declared.

Ashley waved him off while clearing her throat. She dried her hands off with a hand towel. She started tapping her fingers on the counter, studying him carefully.

"Andros, I have a little surprise for you," Ashley announced.

Andros became excited. "Really?"

"Yes, but you have to close your eyes. We don't want any peeking," she said seriously.

"Who cares? Bring it on!" he yelled, clapping gleefully.

Ashley rubbed her hands together. "All right, here it comes."

Andros closed his eyes in great anticipation of his surprise. Smiling mischievously, Ashley reached over to grab the sink hose. She sprayed water all over her boyfriend. He screamed in fright and opened his eyes. He looked down at himself being drenched. He glared at his laughing girlfriend.

"Gotcha!" Ashley yelled in glee.

"Why, you little creep! Give me that thing!" Andros growled and snatched the hose out of her hands. He sprayed her with just as much water as she did on him. He laughed while pointing his finger at her. "Now, that's what I call revenge!" He placed the hose back in its spot and turned off the water.

"Oh, yeah? Well, here comes a different kind of revenge!" she hissed. She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. He chuckled after she pulled away.

"That's good revenge. Now, come here!" he yelled and grabbed her. He squeezed her sides hard. She screamed in much laughter as he unleashed a fierce tickle attack on them. She started to run out of breath, and he ceased his assault on her. He looked a little guilty. "I'm sorry I made you run out of breath."

"It's all right. I love it when you tickle me," Ashley said in a sweet voice.

"How about I do it again?" Andros asked and wiggled his fingers.

"No, thank you," Ashley said, holding up a hand.

"Aw! You're no fun!" Andros whined and made a big pout.

"Deal with it," Ashley responded defiantly. He took her hands into his and shared a sweet kiss with her. They gazed down at themselves. "We need to get out of these wet clothes."

"We should," Andros agreed and cleared his throat. "Just don't peek at me while I'm changing."

"I'll tell you what. We'll take turns changing in the bathroom upstairs," Ashley suggested.

"Okay," Andros said with a nod. "I get it first."

"You got it," Ashley answered, giving him a thumbs-up. "By the way, don't peek at me when I'm changing either."

"Duly noted," Andros said and ruffled her hair, getting a laugh out of her. They put their arms around each other and walked out of the kitchen. They headed upstairs while singing a scat.

00000

Andros and Ashley were swinging back and forth on the balcony swing nearly an hour later. They stared at the moon, which hung above the trees. The moon reflected off the lake, which made it appear as if it was sparkling. Stars dotted every part of the sky. Some shined brighter than the others did.

"I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful night sky," Ashley whispered.

"Me neither. I hope we'll have a beautiful Christmas Day," Andros said and put his arm around her.

"So do I. It rained nearly all of Christmas Day last year," Ashley said grumpily.

"There's nothing we can do about the weather. It's up to Mother Nature to decide what kind we will get each day," Andros commented.

"Sometimes, she can be really ruthless. A good example is the 1991 Andover F5 tornado. That thing caused massive destruction. Most of the fatalities were the result of people being unable to reach shelter," Ashley said fearfully.

"Wow," Andros said in awe.

"My mother was living in Xenia when the 1974 Super Outbreak occurred," Ashley said, swallowing hard. "She was in the kitchen with her mother when the F5 tornado hit. They couldn't get to the basement, so they took shelter underneath the table. Grandma shielded her with her body. Mom suffered serious injuries, and Grandma was killed. She survived, thanks to emergency surgery. Her home was completely destroyed."

Ashley wiped a tear from her eye. Andros reached out to touch her shoulder, a sympathetic expression showing on his face. She looked at him, pressing her lips together.

"I'm sorry your grandmother died," he whispered in much comfort. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Thanks," she replied.

He slipped his arm around her shoulder. "KO-35 rarely gets tornadoes. We don't have the climate for a large number of them." He rubbed hers very gently. "It's cool seeing them on TV, though."

"That's the only place I want to see a tornado. I don't ever want to see one in person," Ashley muttered, shuddering badly.

"Some people chase tornadoes for a living," Andros pointed out honestly.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "That's true. Those people are professionals who help to warn the populace of the danger. They try their hardest to stay out of harm's way, but they do get hurt sometimes. The strongest tornado on record was the Oklahoma City F5 tornado that struck back in May. Three-hundred-one-mile-per-hour winds were recorded in it."

"I heard about that. Its data is being analyzed in hopes of better predicting future tornadoes," Andros said.

"Despite advances in meteorology, tornadoes do remain unpredictable. Sometimes, they pop up with no warning whatsoever," Ashley murmured.

"Yep," Andros agreed. "Look on the bright side. California rarely gets tornadoes."

Ashley slipped her arms around Andros's waist and snuggled closer to him. She felt him tighten his embrace on her. He kissed her forehead and started to rock the swing a little faster. She groaned, grabbing her stomach.

"Ugh. I think I'm going to be sick," Ashley muttered, appearing as if she were ready to vomit.

"Oh, my little baby. Let me make you feel better," Andros said and stopped rocking to rub her back.

"That feels good," Ashley answered and relaxed as she sat back. Without warning, she smacked him in the back of his head. He grabbed her wrist and looked at her in shock.

"You little sneak! You tricked me!" Andros yelled in annoyance.

"I sure did!" Ashley shrieked cheerfully. "I thought you would've learned not to fall for that by now!" She pressed her fist to his cheek.

"You can't blame me," Andros said, emitting a long exhale. He let go of her. "I always try to help someone if they look like they're going to be sick. Maybe I should keep a closer eye on you and others."

"You should," Ashley said and flicked his nose before giving it a gentle pinch. "Otherwise, you never know what might hit you."

He growled as if he were a bear, and she responded with a raspberry. They smiled and shared a light kiss. They rubbed noses before looking toward the moon.

"When I was a kid, I thought the moon was made of cheese. I dreamed of going there in a rocket and eating some of it," Ashley said.

Andros scratched his head. "I wonder who came up with that idea."

"I don't know, but I can see why. The moon is full of craters that make it look like Swiss cheese," she laughed.

"Yeah. One kind of cheese I don't ever want to try is limburger cheese. It stinks badly," he mumbled, his face showing much disgust.

Ashley appeared about ready to throw up. "No shit. You couldn't even pay me to eat that kind of cheese."

"Don't worry. Nobody will. I'll make sure of it," Andros declared.

"Thanks," Ashley whispered sweetly. She got another hug from him. He cupped her chin in his hand, looking her in the eye.

"What do you say we fix some hot chocolate and start a fire?" Andros suggested.

"All right," Ashley agreed and wrapped her arms around herself. "It's getting a little cool out here, anyway."

"Mm-hmm," Andros said. "Come on."

The lovebirds stood up, letting out light grunts. They headed inside with their arms wrapped around each other.

00000

Andros and Ashley sipped hot chocolate from mugs while sitting on the living room couch fifteen minutes later. A fire was burning brightly in the fireplace. The flames leapt from the log, and embers popped three at a time. He leaned back and put his arm behind his head. He inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly. He looked over at her.

"There's nothing like drinking hot chocolate and watching a fire burn," Andros commented in happiness.

"You said it. You get a double dose of warmth," Ashley chuckled.

"How about we make it a triple?" he asked, placing his arm on top of the couch.

"Why the heck not?" she replied with a wink. She scooted over to him, allowing him to put his arm around her. They drank more of their hot chocolate. The flames seemed to leap higher.

"It's nice having a weekend all to ourselves. I wish this could last forever," Andros whispered, letting out a long sigh.

"So do I, but it can't," Ashley muttered somewhat sadly. "We do have to go back to school on Monday. That means dealing with Brian's obnoxiousness in music class."

"And Johnny's pestering you for a date. I swear, that guy doesn't know the meaning of the word no," Andros said in irritation. He couldn't count the number of times he wanted to punch Johnny for his constant bothering of Ashley. Of course, he knew it'd go against everything he had learned from being a Power Ranger. One was never escalating a situation unless forced.

"Oh, he knows what no means. He just doesn't care. He sees himself as irresistible to women," Ashley said, pointing her finger down her throat and making a gagging sound. She took it out. "In my eyes, you're the most handsome man I've ever met."

Andros shook his head in disbelief. "Oh, come on, Ash. There are many men better looking than I am."

Ashley smiled. She loved it when he didn't believe what she said. "That's where you're wrong, boy. You top all those men because you are handsome on the inside like Karone said. You're kind, loving, and generous. You're willing to risk your life to protect those you care about. Those guys will never come close to you."

Andros chuckled quietly. He felt so lucky to have a girlfriend like Ashley. He wished they could always be at each other's side, but he knew that was impossible. At least he could take comfort in the fact the tiger she won for him would always remind him of her. They downed more of their hot chocolate.

"Can I ask you one thing, Ash?" Andros asked.

"What?" Ashley wondered.

"Don't ever lose your loving, caring, and generous nature," Andros requested. "That makes you so beautiful on the inside. You top all the women I've ever been with."

"It's a deal," Ashley answered and kissed him gently. They finished off their hot chocolate. She looked over the top of the couch and watched him take the mugs to the sink and lay them there. She turned to him as he returned to his seat. "I've got a little present for you."

"You do?" Andros asked, becoming curious. "I hope it doesn't involve water this time."

Ashley shook her head. "It doesn't, but you do have to close your eyes. We can't have any peeking."

Andros cupped his chin in his hand, appearing a little unsure. "Okay."

He closed his eyes and laid his hands in his lap. He had them open as if ready to receiving something. She got up and headed upstairs. She returned two minutes later with a small green box. She laid it in his hands.

"You can open your eyes now," Ashley said.

Andros did just that and examined the box. He lifted the lid and reached inside to pull out an object covered in bubble wrapping. He removed the wrapping, revealing a golden eagle sculpture. The eagle sat on a tree branch and had its wings spread far apart. Its beak was open as if ready to catch something. He stared at it in much awe.

"Ashley, this is beautiful!" Andros exclaimed. "Where did you get this?"

"I got it at an antique store three days ago. The owner sold animal sculptures and necklaces. I told her about how much you loved golden eagles. She said this one would be great for you," Ashley explained.

"She chose the perfect sculpture. Thank you so much for getting it for me," Andros said, love echoing from his voice. "I'll treasure it for as long as I live."

Andros placed the eagle on the coffee table and embraced Ashley tightly. She responded by wrapping her arms around him. She ran her hand over his hair, sighing in content. She felt him rock her back and forth. She heard him whisper sweet words into her ear. They stayed in this position for a long while before pulling apart.

Andros and Ashley shared a kiss, which didn't take long to become passionate. Their tongues touched briefly, and they let out loud groans. They wrapped their arms tighter around each other, their heartbeats increasing in speed. Jolts of electricity shot up and down their spines. They broke the kiss for air. She touched his cheek. Her eyes were glazed over with lust. His had just as much as hers did.

"I want you so badly, Andros," Ashley whispered huskily.

"I want you too, Ashley, but—" Andros started and swallowed hard.

She became very concerned. "But what?"

He cupped her chin in his hand. "I don't want to do it on the couch. I think it'd be much better in front of the fireplace. We'd have a lot more room."

"I'm more than willing to do that," she said with a smile. "We can get some pillows and blankets from upstairs." She jerked her thumb in the direction of the stairs. "We'd be even more comfortable with them."

"I'll go with you. You don't need to carry all that stuff by yourself," he said.

"Well, come on," Ashley said and got up. She took his hand to pull him to his feet. They went upstairs to get pillows and blankets.


	5. Love in Front of the Fireplace

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. I can't believe I've already gotten over twenty-five reviews. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, and katxox for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. This chapter has a bit of sexual content. If this makes you uncomfortable, I suggest you don't read it. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. The rating has been risen due to the sexual content. More is likely to come in the next few chapters. Stay tuned for chapter six.

XXXXX

Chapter 5: Love in Front of the Fireplace

Andros and Ashley were kissing fiercely while they lay on a blanket in front of the fireplace thirty minutes later. He was in between her legs, and she was on her back with her head on a pillow. Another blanket was near them, as was another pillow. Their hands wandered over each other's bodies slowly, and their hearts beat even faster than they did earlier. Much electricity coursed through their veins, and their tongues dueled for control. They moaned loudly into each other's mouths.

He pulled away from her, looking down at her with an intense expression. He nuzzled her jaw and started to plant kisses along it. He worked his way down to her neck, stopping at the pulse point between it and her shoulder. He proceeded to suck on it. She leaned her head back, moaning pleasurably. She grabbed his shoulders as if he were the only thing she could grab onto.

Ashley tensed when she felt Andros bite down on her neck. The pain faded very quickly, and she sighed in relief. She suspected a mark would be there in the morning, but she didn't care because all that mattered was she was with him right now. She brought his head upward to give him a passionate kiss to the lips. Her hands found the top button of his brown flannel shirt. She unbuttoned it, opening it once she was done and sliding it off his shoulders. He pulled his arms out of it and tossed it aside.

He broke the kiss and took her hands, pulling her into a sitting position. He grabbed the hem of her white blouse and began to pull it upward. She held up her arms, allowing him to remove it. He threw it over his shoulder and looked at her dark blue jeans. He touched the button and fumbled with it, but he managed to get it undone. He unzipped her jeans and grabbed the waistband. He pulled them down her legs, and she lifted her hips to help him remove them.

She undid his belt and unbuttoned his tan pants. She unzipped them slowly. He smiled at her, knowing she was teasing him. He helped her to remove them. He got back in between her legs and cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her passionately. His tongue entered her mouth and touched hers, smiling into it when she moaned quietly.

Ashley slid her arms around Andros's neck, pulling him down on top of her as she laid down. He balanced himself on his elbows to keep her from putting too much weight on herself. Their tongues engaged in a fierce battle for control. They groaned loudly into each other's mouths. Her hands wandered over his back, arms, chest, and stomach.

"Oh, my beautiful Ashley," Andros whispered intensely.

Ashley sighed in pleasure as he smothered her neck with hungry kisses. "My handsome Andros."

He kissed his way to the valley between her breasts. He buried his face there, licking at it. She gasped in ecstasy as she ran her fingers through his hair. She repeated her action at his hands squeezing her butt. She rolled her head back into the pillow. He returned to her lips for another kiss. He reached behind her and touched her light blue bra clasp. He fumbled with it, trying to get it undone.

Ashley smiled and pushed her boy friend away. She sat up to undo the clasp herself. She removed her bra in a very slow manner. He chuckled as he could tell she was teasing him again. She finally got it off. He stared at her breasts with such intensity that it seemed he'd go after them with his mouth any second, but he wasn't about to do that. He laid her back down and kissed her neck. He put his hands on her breasts, running his thumbs over the nipples in which they became hard at his touch. She felt her body tense up quite a bit. She couldn't stop a gasping moan from leaving her mouth.

Andros trailed kisses to his girlfriend's chest and took the right breast into his mouth. He sucked on the nipple and rolled it with his tongue. Ashley screamed in incredible pleasure and arched her back. He gazed up at her with a smile. He turned toward the left breast and lavished it with the same amount of attention. A whimper came out of her mouth, her back making another arch.

She felt him kiss down to her stomach. She closed her eyes while he dipped his tongue into her navel. Her breaths turned to shudders. He returned to her lips. His hands wandered all over her body. The skin broke out in goosebumps. She opened her eyes. She decided she was tired of being on the bottom and flipped him over on his back. She pulled back and looked deep into his eyes, allowing a smile to cross her lips. He smiled back at her.

"You just had to flip me over, didn't you?" Andros asked, a light chuckle escaping his mouth.

"Yes, I did," Ashley answered in huskiness. "Now, shut up and let me kiss you."

She leaned down, kissing him hard. Her tongue touched his and fought with it. She planted a trail of kisses toward his neck. She ran her hands up and down his body. He sighed in ecstasy while running his fingers through her hair. She made his way down to his chest. She licked at the spot over his heart. He couldn't stop a moan from coming out of his mouth.

Andros felt Ashley's lips on his again. She teased his nipples with her thumbs, hardening them. She leaned down and brought her lips to the left nipple to take it into her mouth. He growled intensely at her sucking on it. His back arched greatly. He squeezed his eyes shut, grabbing at the blanket tightly. His growl got even louder when she rolled his nipple with her tongue. Fire started to build in his veins, as did it in hers.

She turned her attention to the right nipple and gave it the same amount of attention. He opened his eyes and let out an intense moan, his head rolling back into the pillow. His grip on the blanket got even tighter. He touched her head and brought it upward for a long, hard kiss. Their tongues engaged in a dance, and they hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

He sat up, grabbing at her hair. His hands wandered downward to her white underwear. He ripped it off her. He ran his hands up and down her legs, cupping her butt. He brought one hand between them to touch her. She broke the kiss. She gasped in ecstasy when he fondled the loose folds of her sex. She squeezed her eyes shut as his thumb stroked her clit. She started to move her hips with his motions. She cried out in pleasure as she came. She was so lost in it that she couldn't breathe at all.

Ashley came down from her high, a sated feeling spreading through her body. She opened her eyes. She kissed Andros once more and pushed him back down. Her tongue entered his mouth and tasted every inch of it. He emitted a soft moan. She had to smile into it. She pulled away from him and glanced down at his green boxer shorts. She could see his erection poking through them. She knew he couldn't hold on much longer. She took hold of the waistband and pulled them and his blue underwear off, which allowed his erection to spring free. She climbed back on top of him to kiss him once more.

She reached down to grab his cock. She stroked it gently, earning a soft groan from him. She twisted her hands around it. She went slowly at first, but her motions became faster. He let out a loud groan. She began pumping him. He growled in great intensity. His hands flew above him, grabbing at the pillow. He tore away from the kiss, lost in his passion before returning to it.

"Oh, shit, Ashley. Oh, God," he groaned in great pleasure. She smiled against his lips and proceeded to explore every inch of his mouth with her tongue. He began bucking up against her, moaning his need. "God, Ashley, please."

"Please what?" she asked as she stopped pumping her boyfriend.

"Please, stop the foreplay. I need to be inside you right now," Andros responded, his voice lined with seduction.

"Then come into me. Make love to me," Ashley said with a smile. He turned their bodies until he was on top of her and in between her legs. He reached for his pants to get a condom, but she grabbed his wrist. "It's okay. I'm on the pill."

"Are you sure?" Andros asked.

"Yes," Ashley answered while nodding slowly.

He balanced himself on his elbows as he stared down at her. "This may hurt a little, all right?"

She stroked his cheek gently. "Okay."

Andros kissed Ashley as he aligned himself at her entrance. He slid inside her carefully. He heard her let out a gasping moan. She attempted not to tense up as he took her virginity, but she couldn't help herself. He saw the tears in her eyes and touched her cheek.

"I'm sorry about that," Andros apologized guiltily.

"It's all right, Andros," Ashley said soothingly. She inhaled deeply as the pain faded away. She let out a long exhale before licking her lips. Her hands traveled to his butt to give it a gentle squeeze. She had a pleading expression on her face. "Move, Andros. Please."

Andros started moving in and out of Ashley, who moaned with every thrust as she lifted her hips to meet each one. His grunting and groaning seemed to echo along with hers, but they didn't care. They were together in the most intimate of ways, and they couldn't be happier. Their lips sought out each other while their hands wandered everywhere. He felt his body tighten with each thrust. He planted kisses along her jaw, listening to her soft moans.

He moved between sucking on and kissing his girlfriend's neck. The skin tingled beneath his lips, and his hands squeezed her butt hard. His lips went to her ear, and he nibbled on it gently. She whimpered at him touching her breasts and pinching the nipples. An ecstatic scream came from her lips when he took a nipple into his mouth and rolled it with his tongue. Her boyfriend repeated his actions with the other.

Ashley turned her and Andros's bodies until she was on top of him. She leaned her head back, sighing in much ecstasy. She kissed him with great passion as she began moving up and down on him. Her hands went above his shoulders, and he took hold of her hips and helped her move on him while meeting her movements with his. She could feel the fire climbing higher within her. She was sure it was doing the same in him.

She kissed him once more. She traveled to his ear and proceeded to nibble on it. He groaned loudly and laid his hands on her shoulders. She trailed kisses down his throat to his chest. She alternated between licking at and sucking on the spot over his heart. She rolled his nipples in her hands, earning a throaty groan from him. She took one of them into her mouth. She sucked on it hard. He growled with much intensity. He anchored her head to him. He got louder as she focused her attention on his other nipple.

Andros could feel the fire in him reaching its peak. He slid a hand downward to massage Ashley's clit. She was unable to stop a pleasurable moan from leaving her mouth. Her hands gripped the pillow, and she closed her eyes and whimpered softly. The lovebirds kissed long and hard. Their tongues fought each other, and they groaned against their lips. She tore away from him, staring into his eyes.

"Andros, I'm about to—" Ashley started.

Andros sprung up into a sitting position to grab his girlfriend's hips in a rough manner. He moved her harder and faster on him. He thrusted up into her just as hard and fast. The world started to fade around them. They couldn't hear the fire crackling. Nor could they feel its heat. It was just the two of them and nothing else.

"Come for me, Ashley. I want to feel you come," Andros commanded fiercely.

Ashley's movements got faster. Her head flew back at Andros taking her left breast in his mouth and sucking. She let out a final loud moan at her climax taking her in which it triggered his. She felt him bite down on her breast as he came with a muffled moan. Their bodies spasmed against each other. They held each other close as they waited for their breathing to return to normal. They were both panting hard.

Finding himself unable to remain sitting up, Andros fell back onto the blanket. He took Ashley with him. He positioned her to where he remained inside her. She looked deep into his eyes, seeing love shine in them. She knew he saw the same in hers. She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand while taking slow yet even breaths.

"I feel so incredible, Andros," Ashley whispered lovingly.

Andros cupped her chin in his hand. "So do I, Ashley."

The lovebirds kissed deeply. Ashley leaned down and placed her head on Andros's chest, smiling when she felt his arms go around her.

"Everyone has told me what making love would be like, but not once did I expect this," she whispered, a happy sigh leaving her mouth.

"Neither did I. You really don't know until you actually do it," he said with a light chuckle.

"One thing is for sure. We were able to escape to another world, even if it was only for a while," Ashley whispered.

"Oh, yeah," Andros agreed. "The best thing about it is you were my first. You will always be my first." He tightened his grip on her somewhat.

"The same goes for you," Ashley murmured. She removed her head from his chest to kiss him on the lips. She looked down with a heavy sigh. He put a finger under chin and titled her head back. He showed much concern.

"What's wrong, Ashley?" Andros asked, furrowing his brow.

Ashley sniffled softly. "I wish we didn't have to go back home Sunday afternoon. I want to stay here."

"So do I, but we do have school on Monday. We can't neglect that," Andros murmured in regret.

"I know. It's so unfair that our graduation is seven months away. Why can't it be here now?" Ashley cried.

"I want it to be here now as much as you do, but we need to experience our final year of high school to its fullest. After that, we'll be in our freshman year of college. We'll have the freedom to do what we want," Andros whispered very gently.

"I can see that," Ashley answered truthfully and swallowed hard. "Still, I wish—" She shuddered somewhat.

Andros ran his finger up and down her nose. "I understand. It's okay. We can still have these moments while they last."

She choked back a sob and kissed him lovingly. She felt him slip a hand into her hair. She pulled back to look at him. She wiped tears from her eyes, sniffling quietly.

"You okay now?" Andros asked.

"Yes," Ashley responded while nodding slowly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Andros whispered, love echoing from his voice. "Now, there's something I want to do."

He flipped her over on her back. He kissed her passionately and began moving inside of her. His cock became hard again. She moaned in much delight. She felt her boyfriend kiss her jawline and travel down to her neck. She tilted her head to the side to give him better access.

"Don't stop, Andros," Ashley cried in pleasure. "Continue making love to me."

"I will, my love," Andros murmured in seduction. "I will."

He captured his girlfriend's lips in a possessive kiss. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, earning a heady moan from her. His thrusts started to increase in speed and intensity. His body tightened as every second passed. He grabbed at the blanket, groaning in ecstasy. They became lost in another lovemaking session.


	6. Wake Up, Shower Romp, and Breakfast

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. There is also sexual content in this one. As before, you should not read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you can read at your own risk. Stay tuned for chapter seven.

XXXXX

Chapter 6: Waking Up/Shower Romp/Breakfast

The early morning sun's rays filtered through the trees and shined into the cabin's living room window. Andros stirred somewhat and opened his eyes slowly. He held up his arm to shield them from the light. He blinked three times to get them to adjust to it. He looked over at the fireplace to see all that remained was a tiny piece of the log used for burning.

He glanced down at the sleeping Ashley, who was snuggled up to him and had her head on his chest and her arm draped over it. The second blanket covered their bodies from the chest down. He smiled at her, thinking she looked like an angel. He shifted his attention toward the ceiling. He couldn't believe they made love multiple times last night. It was as if they couldn't get enough of each other. He wondered if people would think they were two rabbits or something, but it didn't matter. He considered last night the greatest night of his life. He had no doubt she thought the same.

He looked back down at her, taking slow yet even breaths. He ran his hand over her hair, pushing it out of her face. He proceeded to trace his fingertips up and down her back. She started to stir and opened her eyes. She gazed up at him, giving him a loving smile.

"Good morning, Ashley," Andros said warmly.

"Good morning yourself, Andros," Ashley replied and removed her head from his chest. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Fantastic. I could do backflips all day," Andros said with a small chuckle.

"Me too. Then again, we'd have to watch out for any objects that might be in our way," Ashley joked, giggling quietly.

He pinched her cheek. "We could move around them or go over them!"

"Of course!" she shouted and raised her eyebrows. "Telekinesis can also be used to move them."

"No denying that!" he growled playfully and tweaked her nose. She made a honking sound. "Did your nose become a horn?"

She shrugged with a squeak. "I guess so."

"You want me to honk it again?" Andros asked.

"No, thanks," Ashley answered and touched the back of her neck. "Once is enough for me."

"You're such a big spoilsport!" Andros taunted.

Ashley gave him a mock-annoyed look. "I am not!"

She jumped in surprise when he pinched her butt. She ruffled his hair and played with a strand of it. He took it out of her hand and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I have to say I'll never forget last night for as long as I live," Andros said lovingly.

"Me neither," Ashley responded and sighed softly. "The best part about making love with you was doing it right in front of the fire."

"Yeah," Andros agreed. "Everyone says you have to make love down by the fire because it's the most romantic place."

"It is," Ashley commented truthfully. "It's just the couple and the fire. No one else is there to cause any disruptions."

He became very serious. "Of course, there is the matter of how other people will react to our being sexually active, especially our families and friends." He took her hand into his.

"That's true, but I don't care how they react," Ashley whispered and shook her head. "I don't regret what we've done at all." She sighed in happiness.

"I don't either," Andros answered. They shared a series of kisses. He wrapped his arms more tightly around her as she laid her head back on his chest. He felt her trace her fingertips over his stomach.

"If there's one thing I'd want, it's to relive last night," Ashley whispered while blinking twice.

"What we need is a remote control that could rewind time. We could relive everything as many times as we wanted," Andros said.

She squeaked with glee. "That'd be so cool. Of course, I'd get dibs on that remote."

"You wish," Andros responded, smirking.

"Hey, I'm better at using remote controls than you are. You usually drop them!" Ashley shouted, removing her head from his chest and pinching his cheek.

"I do not!" Andros yelled in mock anger. They blew raspberries at each other. They laughed and kissed once more.

"I'm going to go take a shower," Ashley said and got up. She grabbed the blanket and tied it around her chest. She watched him wrap the other one around his body.

"I'll just stay here and relax," Andros said and put his hands behind his head.

Ashley smiled at him. "Don't get too relaxed. You don't want to miss breakfast, do you?"

Andros chuckled. "No, I don't."

Ashley winked at him and gathered her clothes. Andros turned on his side and propped his head up with his elbow to watch her go upstairs. He returned to his back, sighing to himself.

00000

Ashley turned on the showerhead in the medium-sized upstairs bathroom's shower stall three minutes later. She was wrapped in a towel. She watched the shower stall fill rapidly with steam. She untied the towel and put it over the rack above the toilet. She stepped into the shower stall. She closed the glass door, its hinges squeaking slightly.

She leaned her head back, her hair becoming wet in an instant. She sighed contently while running her fingers through her hair. She glanced at the shampoo in the corner and was about to lean down to pick it up when she heard a knock on the door. She looked at it, seeing Andros standing before it with a towel wrapped around his waist. She opened it, and he smiled at her.

"May I join you in showering?" he asked.

She chuckled. "Sure."

Ashley stepped forward two paces as Andros removed his towel and put it over the toilet lid. He went into the shower stall and closed the door. He leaned his head back to wet his hair. He grabbed her shoulders before she could lean down to get the shampoo. She peered at him in the corner of her eye. Her breathing came out in shudders at his nibbling on her ear.

"Andros—," she started.

"Mm-hmm," he whispered seductively and pulled her hair aside. He started kissing her neck. He pressed his crotch into her butt, which made her groan.

"Andros, I'd like to—," Ashley said, going stiff when his hands started caressing her breasts. He squeezed them hard. She couldn't hold back a moan. She gasped in ecstasy. She swallowed hard. "Oh, God."

"You're so hot," Andros growled with sexual intensity. "You are making me horny." He slid his hands up and down her body. "You want me to show you?"

He thrusted his hips into her butt, making her groan in pleasure. He took that as his cue and spun her around, locking his lips with hers. They wrapped their arms around each other. Electricity coursed through their bodies, and their hearts beat at the same rapid rate. His tongue entered her mouth and touched hers. He smiled into it when she moaned.

He pushed her toward the tiled wall. She grunted when her back hit it. He put one leg between her to hold her in place. He nuzzled her jaw before kissing her neck. His hands made their way to her butt. He molded her buttocks together and pulled them apart. He repeated his actions three times as his lips traveled up to her ear. He nibbled on her earlobe lightly. She screamed in much excitement. She became louder when he increased the pressure somewhat. She grabbed his shoulders as if trying to keep herself from falling into the abyss.

Andros kissed Ashley once more. He moved his hands to her breasts, giving them hard squeezes. He rolled the nipples against his palms until they were hard to his touch. He trailed his lips to her neck, alternating between kissing and sucking on it. She emitted a quiet moan, her head leaning back. She gasped painfully at him biting her. She sighed in relief when the pain faded. She had no doubt she'd have another mark there, but she didn't care. She was willing to take all the marks he could give her, no matter where on her body.

He dropped to his knees and kissed her stomach. She laid her hands on his head, leaning hers back. She swallowed hard when he dipped his tongue into her navel. His hands slid up her body, reaching her breasts. He proceeded to fondle them. She couldn't stop a gasping moan from leaving her mouth. She shuddered ecstatically when he gave them hard squeezes. The fire started to build within her, as did it in him.

"Oh, Andros," she whispered.

He breathed deeply. "Yes, Ashley. Yes."

Andros brought his hand to Ashley's entrance. She gasped delightfully at his fondling the loose folds of her sex. She squeezed her eyes shut as his thumb stroked her clit. She started to move her hips with his motions. She cried out in great pleasure as she came. She became so lost in it that she was unable to breathe.

She came down from her high. A sated feeling went through her body. She opened her eyes. She looked down at him, finding he was staring up at her. She noticed he was smiling. She realized he wasn't done yet. He shifted his attention to her left inner thigh. He started kissing it. He alternated between nibbling and sucking on it. She screamed loudly at him biting down on it.

He turned toward her right inner thigh and lavished it with the same amount of attention. She emitted a soft yet excited groan. He looked at her entrance. He rubbed his face against it before kissing it. He ran his tongue up and down the flesh. He pushed it inside her and proceeded to fondle her sex ravenously. He put her right leg over his left shoulder for better leverage.

Ashley whimpered as she braced her hands against the wall. She balled them into fists when Andros started to fondle her clit with his tongue. She found herself moving her hips with his motions. He went faster, wrapping his arm around her leg. She increased her pace, squeezing her eyes shut. She screamed as she came. She was unable to breathe, being so lost in it.

She started to come down from her high, the same sated feeling rushing through her body. He put her leg down and stood up. He kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips. She smiled at how sweet it was. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, wanting more of it. They kissed passionately for a minute before breaking apart for air. They looked at each other with intense expressions on their faces.

"Now, it's my turn to do you," Ashley growled seductively.

"Do it," Andros responded huskily. "I'm ready."

She turned him around and pushed him up against the wall. She kissed him passionately. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, smiling against it at hearing him groan loudly. She planted a trail of kisses down his jawline to his neck. She brought her hands to his chest. She teased his nipples with her thumbs until they were hard to her touch. She kissed her way to the spot over his heart and licked at it. He felt himself becoming very hard.

She captured his lips in a possessive kiss. She moved her hands downward to grab his erect cock. She stroked it gently, which made him groan softly. She twisted her hands around it slowly. She increased the speed of her motions. He tore away from the kiss, groaning loudly. She started to pump him. He growled in great intensity. He leaned his head back, becoming lost in his passion.

"Oh, God," Andros hissed in much seduction.

"That's right, Andros," Ashley said lustfully. "Let it out. Of course, that's not all of it."

Ashley dropped to her knees and started kissing Andros's right inner thigh. She alternated between nibbling and sucking on it. He let out a soft groan, becoming louder when she bit down on him. She gave his left inner thigh the same amount of attention. He was unable to stop a whimper from leaving his mouth. He looked down at her as she gazed upward at him. She smiled and began to massage his balls in a circular motion. He could feel the fire within him climbing higher. He had no doubt it was doing the same within her.

He leaned his head back once more, his hands balling into fists and hitting the wall. He growled in loudness as she gave his balls a gentle squeeze. She ran her tongue from the scrotum to the tip of his cock. She moved back and forth three times, relishing at his excited groans. She kissed the scrotum before teasing it with her tongue. He clenched his teeth. He felt as if he could lose himself any second now. However, he wasn't about to let that happen. He looked down at her.

"Ashley, I've got to be inside you right now," he said seriously.

She stopped her ministrations. She stood up to look at him. "Then enter me. Make love to me."

Andros turned Ashley around, bracing her against the wall. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He entered her until he was fully sheathed inside her. He didn't move, wanting to savor being there. She became impatient and moved her hands downward to squeeze his butt.

"Move, Andros. I'm begging you," she pleaded.

"Your wish is my command," he answered, leaning close to her ear. "You're mine."

He started thrusting in and out of her. She moved her hips with his motions. Their grunting and groaning mingled together. He kissed her passionately while sliding one hand into her hair and putting the other on the small of her back. Their tongues wrestled each other for control. His lips made their way to her neck, stopping at the pulse point. He nibbled on it before licking at it. She moaned in a quiet manner. She winced at his biting down, but she sighed in relief when the pain faded away.

He returned to her lips for another kiss. He dove his tongue into her mouth, smiling against them when she groaned in a loud manner. He tasted every inch of it. His thrusting started to increase in speed and intensity. She broke away from him and smothered his neck with hungry kisses. She traveled up to his ear and proceeded to nibble on it gently. He emitted a delighted moan at her increasing the pressure.

Ashley kissed Andros once more. She slid her hands up and down his back, tracing the muscles that lined it. Their tongues touched, causing them to groan. She returned her arms to his neck, wrapping them around it somewhat tightly. She could feel the fire within her getting intense. She had no doubt it was just as intense in him.

She tore away from his lips and kissed his neck once more. She moved to the pulse point. She alternated between licking at and sucking on it. She bit down, and he winced painfully. He sighed in relief at the pain fading quickly. They looked at each other and kissed long and hard. They hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go at all.

Feeling the fire within him reaching its peak, he reached down to massage her clit. She broke the kiss, staring at him intensely. He looked back at her with just as much intensity. His thrusting became even harder and faster. He braced his hands against the wall, his body tightening with every second passing. He buried his face into her neck.

"Ashley, I can't hang on much longer," Andros groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Neither can I, Andros," Ashley responded with much lust. "Neither can I."

He thrusted into her one last time, biting down on her neck. He released himself into her, and she echoed her release to him a second later. Their bodies spasmed against each other. He pulled away from her neck to look at her. She stroked his cheek so lightly that it seemed she wasn't even touching it. They panted hard until their breathing returned to normal.

"That was so incredible," Ashley whispered happily.

Andros nodded at her. "Yes, it was."

The lovebirds shared a sweet kiss. He pulled out of her and ran his hand through his hair.

"Damn. I didn't think we'd be making love in the shower already," Ashley commented with a giggle.

"Neither did I, but I'm glad we did," Andros said honestly.

She brought her hand to his cheek. "Me too. I look forward to doing it again in the future."

He smiled slyly. "So do I. When we do, I'll do you from behind and on all fours. Another place we'll make love is in a mud hole."

"You've got a dirty mind," Ashley squeaked gleefully.

"I'm glad I do. Don't you dare try to change it," Andros warned with a smirk.

"I won't," she responded and kissed him tenderly. "What do you say we finish this shower?"

"I say let's do it," he answered. She turned around and grabbed the shampoo. She handed it to him. He squeezed a small amount into his hand and put it aside. He rubbed it and the other hand together. He started scrubbing her hair.

00000

Ashley flipped the first of four fried eggs over with a spatula in a skillet in the kitchen at midmorning. She repeated her action with the other three. She moved the skillet back and forth twice. She pulled her hair behind her neck and laid her hand on the counter. She started tapping her fingers on it. A plate of bacon sat on the counter next to the stove, as did a coffee-filled mug.

Andros set two plates next to each other on the table. He placed the silverware in their proper places before slipping napkins under the forks. He got a glass from the cabinet next to the sink. He headed to the refrigerator and opened it to get the orange juice. He filled his glass to near the top. He put the pitcher back in before closing the refrigerator. He sipped his juice. He looked toward his girlfriend, who smiled at him.

"I remember when we had breakfast for supper at your place four months ago. You cooked the perfect fried eggs," he said with pride.

"You can thank my dad again. He taught me how to cook fried eggs," she said and pushed two of the eggs back a little bit.

"How about I cook for you the next time we have breakfast for supper?" Andros suggested.

"Okay," Ashley answered. "Just don't flip the eggs on the ceiling."

He set his juice on the counter next to the refrigerator. "I won't."

She put the spatula down and walked to him. "Good. If you do, I will grab you in a headlock and give you a noogie."

"Bring it on. I dare you," Andros threatened in a playful manner.

"Nah. I'd rather do this," Ashley said, slipping her arms around his neck. She kissed him three times and laid her head on his shoulder. She inhaled his musky scent and felt him encircle his arms around her waist. He rubbed her back as she gazed up at him. "Besides, the night we had breakfast for supper was very romantic. We ended up falling asleep on the couch while watching _Willow._ "

"Oh, yeah. Your parents came home around nine and found us cuddled together. They decided to take a picture. That woke us up. Your mom told us we looked so cute sleeping like that," he said, a small chuckle leaving his mouth.

"At least they didn't catch us making out. That would've made their eyes pop out like slinkies!" she exclaimed.

Andros cringed badly. "There's nothing worse than loved ones walking in on intimate moments teens are having with their significant others."

"That hasn't happened to us yet," Ashley said.

"It'll probably happen," Andros said and swallowed hard. "We shouldn't forget how others might react when they find out we've been sexually active."

Ashley sighed to herself. "Of course not."

"At least I lost my virginity to someone I love," Andros commented honestly.

"Me too," Ashley responded.

The lovebirds kissed once more and hugged tightly. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before breaking apart. She returned to the stove and checked the undersides of the eggs with the spatula. She saw they were done and switched the burner off. She looked toward him.

"You can get the bacon while I take the eggs to the table," Ashley said.

"Okey-dokey," Andros replied, giving her a thumbs-up.

She brought the skillet to the table and slid two eggs on each of the plates with the spatula. She returned to the stove to place it on another burner. She laid the spatula in it. He grabbed his juice and the bacon. She got her coffee. They went to the table to sit down. They set their drinks down before putting salt and pepper on their eggs. They picked two pieces of bacon each. He cut a piece of his egg, popping it into his mouth. He chewed it up before swallowing with a loud gulp. He nodded in approval as she nibbled on her bacon.

"Great job on the eggs again, Ash," he said proudly.

"Thanks, Andros," she replied and swallowed her bacon. "I'm glad you appreciate my cooking." She winked at him twice.

"How can I not when you make such great food?" Andros wondered.

"You could watch me flip some food and get it stuck on the ceiling on purpose!" Ashley joked.

Andros laughed in delight. "Maybe we could! Then we'd get a real gooey surprise on our heads!" He patted the top of his head three times.

"Yeah! Then again, the slime we see on the _Kids' Choice Awards_ is gooier than food is," Ashley pointed out.

"It's always fun to see celebrities getting slimed. No one knows who is going to get hit," Andros said. He imitated falling slime by moving his fingers downward.

Ashley clapped three times. "So true."

"Speaking of slime, I think I see some coming out of the ceiling!" Andros shouted while looking upward.

"Oh, no!" Ashley cried. He huddled next to her, covering themselves up with their arms. They looked up and uncovered themselves. They glanced at each other, laughing cheerfully.

"That was a good one, Andros," she squealed.

"If there's one thing I love, it's acting like I'm going to get slimed," he said, crossing his arms.

"Always remember. Never say, 'I don't know.' That's the precursor for getting slimed like the cast of _You Can't Do That On Television_ did," Ashley pointed out.

"Don't worry. You'll never hear me say that," Andros declared.

Ashley smiled. "Good for you."

She gave his cheek a gentle pinch. She got a kiss on her forehead from him after he uncrossed his arms. She returned the favor to his. He took her hand into his, squeezing it so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even doing that.

"It means the universe to me that we're together right now," Andros whispered lovingly.

"Me too. I was so devastated when you said you intended to stay on KO-35. I tried to get you to come with us, but you wouldn't budge," Ashley answered with a soft sniffle.

"It was when the door on the Megaship was closing that I realized my heart lied with you and our friends. I changed my mind and boarded it," Andros commented and stroked her cheek with the back of his other hand. He ran it over her hair.

"That was the happiest moment of my life," Ashley said, laughing happily. "To see that Zhane and Karone had decided to come with us was great." She pressed her lips together. "You three have adjusted to permanent life on Earth so well."

"It didn't take real long to do that," Andros chuckled.

"Nope," Ashley agreed, running her finger up and down his nose.

"Though we're no longer Power Rangers, I will do everything I can to protect you," Andros said seriously.

"The same goes for me with you," Ashley murmured. They kissed before hugging. They breathed in each other's scents, closing their eyes. They opened them and broke apart to resume eating their breakfast.


	7. Walking Along and Quiet Time Inside

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. I want to tell everyone that I will be bringing in some of the first eleven Rangers in the near future. Please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear your input on this fic and any ideas you might have for it. I'd really appreciate it. Stay tuned for chapter eight.

XXXXX

Chapter 7: Walking Along/Quiet Time Inside

Andros and Ashley walked along the lake's shore while holding hands in the late morning. They watched four mallard ducks waddle across the surface. The ducks quacked one at a time. She stopped walking, as did he. She picked up a rock and threw it sideways. The rock skipped across the surface for a short distance before sinking beneath it. He tried to hold back a chuckle, but he couldn't help himself. She looked at him.

"Always one for skipping rocks, aren't you, Ash?" Andros asked.

"It's fun watching them jump along the surface of the water, Andros," Ashley said and rubbed her hands together.

He smirked and gestured toward the lake. "Why don't you try skipping me?"

"Nah. Besides, you're too heavy," Ashley giggled.

"You're no fun!" Andros whined with a pout.

She waved her finger in the air. "Put away that pout. I'm not changing my mind."

"I'll pout for you, no matter what," he said seductively as he moved in front of his girlfriend.

"That's fine with me," she whispered lovingly while slipping her arms around her boyfriend's neck.

"Oh, yeah?" Andros wondered.

"Yeah," Ashley smiled.

"Great," Andros said in happiness. "If it wasn't, then I'd pull you into a headlock and hold you there until you said it was."

Ashley smacked Andros in the back of his head. They shared a laugh. Their lips met in a soft kiss, which grew passionately very quickly. She moaned in pleasure when she felt him squeeze her butt. She heard him groan in excitement as her tongue touched his, followed by tracing every part of his mouth. She slipped her hand underneath his light gray long-sleeved shirt to run her fingers up and down his back. They broke apart for air, breathing deeply.

"If we keep kissing like that, we'll end up stuck together," Ashley joked.

"Like glue?" Andros asked.

"No. I was thinking more like peanut butter and jelly," Ashley snickered.

Andros rolled his eyes. "Give me a break, Ashley! Peanut butter and jelly have no feelings for each other!" He shook his head in disbelief.

"Sure, they do! Now, come here!" Ashley shouted and jumped at him, knocking him down. She unleashed a tickle attack on his sides. He roared with much laughter. He flipped her over and grabbed her wrists. He pinned them above her head. She struggled against his grip to no avail. "All right, you win! I surrender!"

"Good," Andros smirked. "Remember that I always win."

Ashley became very mischievous. "Oh, yeah?"

She flipped him over and got back on top of him. She pretended to punch him in the jaw, alternating between fists. She yelped in surprise when he threw her off him. He pinned her down after he pushed her to the ground. She screamed with laughter as he tickled her all over body. She became quiet after he ceased his assault. They stared deep into each other's eyes.

"You're so beautiful when you laugh," Andros whispered, his voice lined with seduction.

"Are you trying to flatter me?" Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow.

He let out a small chuckle. "Maybe. Is it working?"

She gave him a loving look. "Yes."

Andros and Ashley kissed softly, wrapping their arms around each other. Their kiss grew passionate as their hands wandered everywhere. They let out soft moans. Their tongues explored every inch of their mouths and fought fiercely for control. Excitement coursed through their bodies, and their hearts began to pound against their chests.

He moved away from her lips and planted butterfly kisses on her neck. He slipped his hand under her red long-sleeved shirt to grab her breast. She tensed a bit, but she relaxed and ran her fingers through his hair. She moaned in ecstasy when he moved to her ear and nibbled on it. He returned to her lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth and fighting with hers. He groaned intensely when he felt her hands slip under his shirt and stroke his chest.

Andros unbuttoned Ashley's shirt and removed it. He buried his face in between her breasts, licking at the valley between them. She leaned her head back, moaning in ecstasy. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and began pulling it upward. He pulled away from her and held up his arms, which allowed her to remove it. They engaged in another passionate kiss. They broke apart when they heard a twig snap. They turned to see a bobcat walk out from behind a medium-sized boulder. It stopped to look at them. It realized they meant no harm and walked off. It let out a small meow before licking its lips.

Andros and Ashley looked at each other and started laughing. They couldn't believe a bobcat interrupted their intimacy. Then again, it was better than being interrupted by a black bear. They knew black bears could be dangerous if they were looking for food. Unfortunately, the interruption had killed the mood. They put their shirts back on and stood up. She buttoned hers up. They gazed at the lake to see the ducks running on the water and flapping their wings. The ducks took flight. They disappeared behind the trees.

"Talk about taking off really quick," she said.

"You said it, Ash," he agreed. "How about we take off like those ducks?"

She nodded in agreement. "We can do that, but I have one condition."

He furrowed his brow. "What's that?"

"You have to fly behind me," Ashley answered with a big smirk.

"No way," Andros yelled, shaking his head rapidly. "You're flying behind me."

"I don't think so," Ashley retorted in playfulness and stepped in front of him. "Behind me is the best place for you. You know it!"

He slapped her lightly on the cheek, only to get a slap to his in retaliation. He waved his hand in front of her face. He raised it high, bringing it downward rapidly. She smacked him in the back of his head. She rushed two fingers forward, but he blocked her by holding his hand sideways between his eyes. He pushed her hand downward. He kissed her on the nose, and she shook her head in disbelief.

"You just love starting that _Three Stooges_ routine, don't you?" Ashley asked.

"What can I say? I love that one," Andros said and chuckled lightly. "I remember when you first showed it to me. I was so confused."

Ashley smiled as she remembered his confusion over that. "I showed several episodes where Curly, Moe, and Harry performed it. You started to understand it after many viewings. You began doing it with everyone all the time. It got annoying."

"Well, it was fun," Andros pointed out.

"Yes, it was," Ashley agreed with a nod.

Andros became a little excited. "Then I will do another one."

He stepped back six paces. He picked up a stick and held it out in front of him. He placed his other hand above his head as if he were holding a hat. He flipped it and moved his arm back and forth, making shooting noises. She grabbed her chest while gasping in shock.

"Oh, no! You got me!" Ashley shouted, groaning in pain. "I'm done for!"

Ashley fell on her back with her arms and legs spread out eagle style. Her groans ceased completely, and she closed her eyes. Andros put his arms down and approached her. All of a sudden, she sprung to life and roared as if she were a bear. He was so frightened that he dropped the stick. He stared at her, and she laughed hysterically.

"If you keep laughing like that, Ash, you'll turn into a hyena," he quipped.

"I'd love to be a hyena," she replied, standing up. "In fact, you can be one with me." She imitated a hyena's laugh.

"I'd like that," Andros commented, smiling lightly. "Let's not forget that female hyenas are dominant over the males."

"That's right. Girls rule, and boys drool!" Ashley smirked.

"I believe it's the other way around," Andros pointed out as he moved his finger in a circle in midair.

"No way," Ashley said and stepped up to him. She planted a kiss on his lips and rubbed noses with him. She flicked his chin. "Now, let's do some more walking. What do you say?"

"I say let's do it," Andros answered with pride. They put their arms around each other and resumed walking.

00000

Andros and Ashley sipped hot tea from mugs while sitting on the living room couch in the early afternoon. _Terminator 2: Judgment Day_ played on the TV. He leaned back before putting his arm behind his head. She scooted over to him until she was against him. She chuckled at his slipping his arm around her.

"Nothing like cuddling with your significant other, is there?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Nope," he said, stroking her shoulder. "There is also nothing like sipping hot tea after having a grilled cheese sandwich and a salad for lunch."

"You said it. Both of them filled me up big time," Ashley said proudly.

"Me too," Andros agreed. "Having a salad is better than having chips."

Ashley giggled to herself. "Yep, yep, yep."

"Great, Ducky," Andros said gleefully.

"You make a better Ducky," Ashley said with much pride.

Andros laughed and hit his hand on his leg. "Yep, yep, yep."

She ruffled his hair before pinching his cheek and making funny noises. He swatted her hand aside. He kissed her temple and rubbed his nose against it. They drank more of their tea before putting their mugs on the coffee table. They looked toward the TV.

"If there's one thing I can say about this movie, it's that it blows _The Terminator_ out of the water," Andros said.

"So true. The special effects are far superior. The coolest one is the T-1000 going right through metal bars," Ashley commented.

Andros raised his eyebrows. "Only a computer could do that."

"Yeah," Ashley agreed. "The composite looked exactly like Robert Patrick. You couldn't tell he was computer generated until he went through the bars." She moved her arm forward.

"That's impressive. It makes me wonder how much computer graphics will evolve in the future," Andros said, exhaling slowly.

Ashley became excited as she pulled her arm back. "The possibilities of what graphics artists could come up with is bound to be endless."

"I know one thing. Computer generated imagery will likely eliminate traditional special effects deemed to be very dangerous," Andros pointed out.

"Like fiery explosions," she added.

"Exactly," he said and nodded. They picked up their tea and drank more of it. They returned it to the coffee table. They laid their hands in their laps. "When did you see _The Terminator_ for the first time?"

"Not until after the second movie came out," Ashley answered honestly. "People have looked at me weird when I told them I saw the second movie before the first one. I was a preschooler at the time. Do you really think my parents would've taken me to an R-rated movie? I don't think so." She scoffed annoyingly.

"That's what I call good parenting. Some parents take their kids to movies knowing they are violent. Then they blame the movies for their acting out," Andros grumbled, his voice showing hints of anger.

She shuddered in much disgust. "That's so crazy. Those parents want to blame everyone and everything but themselves for their kids' bratty behavior. If you ask me, a license for parenting should be required. So many people would be denied one because they'd make lousy parents."

He gave her a thumbs-up. "That's right."

Ashley took Andros's hand into hers after he put it down. She squeezed it so lightly that it seemed she wasn't even doing that. A sad expression crossed her face, and she sighed heavily.

"It's unfortunate Mr. Kaplan is retiring at the end of the school year. He's been principal of Angel Grove High for thirty years," Ashley whispered in awe.

Andros frowned and looked down at the floor. "I'm going to miss him. He's the kind of principal you can rely on if you need advice."

"He also takes his duties seriously. Jason told me he wasn't kidding when he sent him, Zack, Trini, Billy, and Kim to detention when he was pranked by Twin Man and Putties disguised as them," Ashley said, a laugh coming out of her mouth.

"I can imagine the angry look on his face from that prank," Andros commented, turning to her.

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Me too. Jason told me that he, Zack, Trini, Billy, and Kim couldn't understand what was going on until there was a news report that the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were attacking the Downtown Square. They knew they had to do something to stop them, but Bulk and Skull were with them. They couldn't morph in front of them until Zack got an idea. He told them to close their eyes while he and his friends morphed. They stopped Twin Man and the Putties and got back before Mr. Kaplan knew they were gone. Bulk and Skull told him they had left the room, but he didn't believe them when he saw them. The looks on their faces were priceless. I wish I could've been there to see that. I would've laughed my ass off." She emitted a small laugh.

"I would've too if I had been there," Andros said with a big smile on his face.

"I know," Ashley responded. "I never knew any of them had been Rangers until after I took Tanya's place as the Yellow Turbo Ranger. Tommy told TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and me all about Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, Kim, Rocky, and Aisha's stints as Rangers." She chuckled quietly as she remembered that revelation. "I was so shocked. I had no idea those seven people had fought the forces of evil before I did. Moreover, Tommy had been a Ranger longer than anyone else had. He was just fifteen when he started. Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, and Kim were the same age as he was when they started."

"That would've made you twelve years old at the time, right?" he asked in curiosity.

"That's correct," she commented and scratched the back of her neck. "Jason, Tommy, Adam, Tanya, and Kat told us how important it was that we never reveal our identities as Power Rangers unless it was an emergency. When Astronema and Ecliptor started attacking the civilians, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Zhane, and I knew we had no choice to but to reveal our identities to them in order to save them."

He showed sympathy. "It's never easy making the right decision."

"It's not always the most popular one either," Ashley added, swallowing hard.

"So true," Andros agreed and slid his other hand over hers. "One thing is clear. We don't ever have to deal with the forces of evil again. Because of us Power Rangers, the universe is at peace."

She let out a soft sniffle. "Yes, it is."

Andros and Ashley picked up their mugs and finished the rest of their tea. She took them to the kitchen to lay them in the sink. She returned to her seat.

"Look on the bright side. All the families of the former Rangers are proud of them for protecting the universe, including ours," Andros said.

"That's true," Ashley replied with a nod. "Tommy, Jason, Kat, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, and Aisha are attending Angel Grove University. Kim is in Florida training for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Zack and Trini are attending New York University. Billy is traveling the country."

He brought his hand up to stroke her cheek with his thumb. "There's something else I want to do."

She put her hands on her sides. "What's that?"

He leaned in and kissed her passionately. He touched her tongue with his. He smiled against her lips at her moaning quietly. He pulled back to look at her, seeing her blink twice.

"That's a good idea," Ashley said breathlessly. "Now, come here."

Ashley kissed Andros with much passion, sliding her hands into his hair. He took hold of her neck. Their tongues touched briefly, and they groaned loudly. They hugged each other tightly. Their heartbeats sped up. Excitement coursed through their veins. They broke the kiss for air. Their eyes were filled with lust.

"I want you so badly, Andros, that I can taste it," Ashley whispered huskily.

Andros growled in intensity. "The same goes for me with you."

Andros grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned off the TV and VCR. He put it back in its spot. He and Ashley engaged in a series of passionate kisses. Their tongues wrestled with each other in an effort to gain control. She climbed into his lap. She broke away from him to unbutton her shirt. She allowed it to slide off her arms after she finished. She watched him take off his shirt. They kissed once more. She trailed kisses to his ear. She nibbled on it, increasing the pressure. He let out a soft groan.

He brought his hands to her breasts after she kissed him. He fondled them, smiling when she moaned into his lips. He felt her nipples grow hard through her bra. He trailed a series of kisses to the valley between her breasts. He buried his face there. He proceeded to lick at it. She threw her head back, letting out a loud moan. She touched his head and tapped it gently. He looked up, getting another kiss from her.

Ashley slipped her tongue into Andros mouth in which he moaned softly. She kissed her way to his neck. She alternated between licking at and sucking on it. He let out a small grasp when she bit down on him. He grabbed a fistful of her hair as the pain faded quickly. They became engaged in a passionate kiss. Their tongues wrestled each other once more.

Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they went to his belt and unbuckled it. She was about to unbutton his light blue jeans when the cordless phone started ringing loudly. They broke their lip lock and looked at it. They groaned frustratingly as they grabbed at their hair. They couldn't believe they had been interrupted from their intimacy for the second time today. They wondered if this would continue.

Ashley got off Andros and scooted over to the phone. She prayed it wasn't anyone in their families, especially her parents, Ashton and Anna, as she warned them not to bother her and her boyfriend. If it was, she was going to give them a piece of her mind. It didn't matter if they were close. She picked up the phone on the fourth ring and turned it on. She put it to her ear.

"Hello?" Ashley said, trying to be calm.

 _"Could I speak to Betsy, please?"_ a woman asked quietly.

"Who?" Ashley responded in confusion.

 _"Betsy. Could I speak with her?"_ the woman said.

"I'm sorry, but you have a wrong number," Ashley answered regretfully. "There is no one named Betsy living in this house."

 _"Oh, I'm sorry,"_ the woman apologized guiltily. _"I didn't mean—"_

"It's okay," Ashley replied calmly. "It happens all the time. Bye."

Ashley turned off the phone and put it back on its base. She glanced at Andros and shrugged, as did he. They were relieved it wasn't anyone they knew. Unfortunately, the interruption had killed the mood once again. They grabbed their shirts. He put his on, and she buttoned up hers after putting it on. They looked at each other. She showed determination on her face.

"Don't worry, Andros. We'll wait until later on tonight to share intimacy. In fact, I have a little surprise for you," Ashley said, scooting over to him.

"Really?" Andros wondered, looking excited. "What is it?"

"I'm not telling you. You'll have to wait until tonight," Ashley said, giggling.

"Aw, man!" Andros whined and formed a big pout.

"Keep pouting," Ashley squeaked in delight. "You look so cute."

"Okay. You win. I'll wait," Andros answered and stopped pouting. "In the meantime, why don't we resume watching the movie?"

"Sure," Ashley replied, smiling lightly. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV and VCR. They resumed watching their movie after he put it back on the coffee table.


	8. Cooking Hotdogs and Kitchen Passion

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took me just a week to get out. Three new pairings have been added to the pairings list. They are Tommy/Kat, Jason/Emily, and Zack/Trini. I don't want anyone giving me grief over having Tommy/Kat in this fic. I happen to like this pairing. If you don't like it, then I advise you skim over parts that show this pairing being affectionate. Anyway, this chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. There is also sexual content in it. As before, you should not read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. It's likely the next chapter will have sexual content. Stay tuned for chapter nine.

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Chapter 8: Cooking Hotdogs/Kitchen Passion

Ashley checked the underside of the first of two hotdogs with a fork while cooking them in a skillet on the kitchen stove in the early evening. She did the same with the other one. She peered over her shoulder at the table, which had two plates, two knives, buns, and chips on it. She turned to a tea-filled glass that sat next to the stove along with a plate and picked the former up. She took a sip and put it down, smacking her lips. Andros came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him and smiled warmly.

"Couldn't stay away from me, could you?" she asked sweetly.

"Nope," he answered and kissed her temple. He released his hold on her and came to her side. He eyed the hotdogs. "The hotdogs look great. I have no doubt they'll be tasty."

"Thanks. Hotdogs are great in the skillet, but they're even better on the grill," Ashley commented. "My dad adores his grill. Before he cooks on it, he'll go clean it and pretend he's fighting little monsters when he is scrubbing the grease stains off it." She showed much pride. "He's always thinking of something new to cook on it."

"Hotdogs and hamburgers aren't new, but your dad's great at grilling them," Andros said with a small chuckle.

"I remember one time that Dad grilled burgers. He got distracted talking to Ms. Cummings when she came over for dinner. He realized he lost track of the time and ran to the grill. He found the burgers were burned," Ashley mumbled, letting out a quiet gulp.

He raised his eyebrows. "He must've been embarrassed."

"Oh, he was," Ashley admitted. "He made up for it by cooking more burgers. He paid very close attention to them the second time around." She smiled lightly.

"Good for him. Everyone knows not paying attention to something closely can result in disaster," Andros muttered, wincing painfully.

She nodded in agreement. "Oh, yes. You know what I find very crazy?"

"What?" he asked in curiosity.

"It's people who throw water on a grease fire, even when they are told that will make it worse. They don't think it will spread at all," she said with a huff.

"That is very crazy," Andros said.

"Yep," Ashley agreed. "Anyway, Mom tried grilling a couple of times. She kept burning the food."

"There are some things we never get good at, no matter how hard we try," Andros said.

"Believe me. Mom tried really hard with grilling," Ashley said truthfully.

Andros ran his hand over his hair, clicking his tongue twice. He went behind his girlfriend. He wrapped his arms around her once more. He rocked her from side to side. She brought her hand up to her boyfriend's arm, peering over her shoulder at him.

"If there is one thing that I am grateful for, it's being here with you. There's no place in the universe I'd rather be," Andros said, love radiating from his voice.

"The same goes for me with you," Ashley replied quietly. She kissed him tenderly. She wrapped her arm around his neck to deepen the kiss. She groaned in frustration when he pulled away.

"I hate to stop kissing you, but you don't want to burn our hotdogs, do you?" Andros pointed out seriously.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ashley apologized and turned back to the hotdogs as he let go of her and went to her side once more. She used the fork to check the undersides. She saw they were done and turned off the stove. She put them on the plate after removing the skillet from the burner. "You can get the rest of the stuff for the hotdogs from the fridge."

"Aye-aye, captain," Andros said, saluting her. "Just be prepared. They could run away."

She elbowed him in the side, which made him laugh. He walked to the refrigerator to get the mustard, mayo, ketchup, and relish. She brought the hotdogs and tea over. He fixed himself a glass of diet coke. They sat beside each other at the table and put chips on their plates. They started to fix their hotdogs.

"One food that's really great to make is hamburgers. It's fun molding them into circles," Ashley said, squirting mustard on her bun.

"You want to make me into a circle?" Andros asked and wiggled his eyebrows. He squirted ketchup on his bun.

Ashley laughed and put relish on her bun after finishing with the mustard. "I'll try to do that if you can find me some rope."

"Sure," Andros said and nodded slowly. "However, I have one condition."

"What's that?" Ashley wondered.

He smiled smugly. "You have to let me tie your wrists together and hang you from a tree, so I can play piñata."

She stuck her tongue out at him. She received a raspberry from him after she pulled it back into her mouth. He put relish on his bun after finishing with the ketchup. They grabbed their hotdogs to put them on their buns. They picked them up and took bites out of them, chewing them up and swallowing them with loud gulps. He nodded in approval.

"This hotdog is fantastic, Ash. You did it again," Andros said happily, as they put their hotdogs down.

"Thanks," Ashley said, sipping her tea. "I found the term hotdog is credited to sports cartoonist Tad Dorgan. Vendors began selling hot dachshund sausages in rolls at a 1901 baseball game at Polo Grounds, New York. From the press box, Dorgan heard the vendors yelling, 'Get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot!' He sketched a cartoon depicting the scene, but he didn't know how to spell dachshund, so he called them hotdogs."

His face was full of awe. "That's interesting."

"Let's not forget that hotdogs aren't really made from dogs. They are made from cows and pigs. In fact, they are made from their muscles," Ashley pointed out.

"Of course," Andros replied with a small nod. "What I would love to do is try a hotdog from a New York City hotdog stand. I've heard New Yorkers make the best hotdogs."

She smiled widely. "Me too. Just be prepared to wait. The lines at those hotdogs stands can be rather long."

"I don't mind waiting as long as it is with you," Andros said, putting his arm around her. He gave her a kiss to her temple.

"Just don't turn away because a dog might steal your hotdogs like Beethoven and Missy did from a guy in _Beethoven's 2nd,_ " she quipped, stifling a snicker.

"If that happens, I don't care. I'll just ask for another hotdog," he said with pride.

The lovebirds shared three sweet kisses. He let go of her and cleared his throat. They popped chips into their mouths. They chewed them up, swallowing them with loud gulps. He took a long sip of his coke.

"Ash, do you plan to drink alcohol when you turn twenty-one?" Andros wondered.

"I want to have a small glass of wine at my twenty-first birthday party. After that, I'm not having any alcohol unless it's recreational," Ashley answered firmly.

Andros showed much proudness. "Good for you. As for me, I'd like to have a glass of beer at my twenty-first birthday party. After that, it's no alcohol for me, except for recreation." He tapped her nose with his finger twice. "Of course, I'd love to have wine with you."

"Me too. Until then, we can drink non-alcoholic champagne for recreation," Ashley said.

"That's a good idea," Andros whispered, cupping her chin in his hand.

Ashley smiled. "Wonderful."

He leaned in to rub noses with her. He planted a kiss to her forehead before pressing his against hers. They took slow yet even breaths.

"It's been great staying up here. We might have to go home tomorrow, but Christmas Break will be here before we know it," Andros said excitedly.

"You know what that means. We'll be back here spending time alone," Ashley whispered delightfully.

He pulled away from her. "Yep, yep, yep."

"Okay, Ducky," Ashley responded, giggling hysterically.

"That's right. Giggle your little head off," Andros said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

She gave him a thumbs-up after she became quiet. "You got it, dude."

Andros waved her off. They ate two more chips and sipped their drinks. They picked up their hotdogs to bite into them.

00000

Andros scrubbed a plate with a sponge in soapy water more than thirty minutes later. He got it clean and rinsed it off. He handed it to Ashley and watched her place it in the dishwasher's bottom part. He cleaned up a fork and gave it to her. She slipped it in the same place she put the plate. He grabbed the skillet and started to scrub it.

"In the old days, men rarely did the dishes. The women usually did them. They also did the cooking and housecleaning. You see men helping with the housework nowadays. We were lucky to be born in the early 1980s," Ashley said.

"Oh, yeah," Andros agreed, eyeing her. "Of course, I wasn't born on Earth. I was born on KO-35."

She chuckled to herself. "How can I forget?"

He smirked widely. "I hope your memory doesn't become like Tommy's."

"Don't worry. It won't," Ashley assured and pressed her lips together. "All I have to do to make sure that doesn't happen is this." She knocked on her head.

"I'll help you," Andros said and washed the soapsuds off his hands. He went over to her and knocked on her head. "Hello? Hello? Anybody home?"

"There's nobody here but Mr. Brain," she said in a deep voice and ceased knocking, as did he.

"Then I will come visit you, Mr. Brain," he answered and acted as if he were jumping into her head. "It'd be really cool if we could actually see what's inside of each other's brains."

Ashley giggled. "I'm sure Billy can invent a device that can do that. I bet I'd find some really embarrassing secrets about you." She gave him a mischievous look.

Andros pointed his finger at her. "The same goes for you. In fact, I just might tell our friends your most embarrassing secrets when I find out what they are."

"You can on one condition," Ashley said, licking her lips.

"What's that?" Andros wondered, crossing his arms.

"You have to let me reveal your most embarrassing secrets when I find out what they are," Ashley answered, poking him in the chest with her finger.

"Unh-unh," Andros said, shaking his head rapidly.

"Uh-huh," Ashley said, nodding just as fast.

"I have a better idea," Andros said as he uncrossed his arms.

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

Andros grabbed her cheeks and kissed her passionately. She slipped her arms around his neck. His hands went to the small of her back. They moaned into each other's mouths, their tongues wrestling for control. They broke apart, gasping for air. She giggled softly.

"That was a better idea," Ashley said and kissed him with just as much passion. He broke away from her, though it was reluctantly.

"I'd love to keep kissing you, but we need to get the last dish in the dishwasher," Andros said seriously and jerked his thumb in the direction of the sink.

"Then let's get going!" Ashley shouted in a drill sergeant's voice and clapped five times. "Hut, two, three, four!"

He walked over to the sink and grabbed the skillet. He managed to get it clean and rinsed it off. He gave it to her. She put it on the bottom. She filled the compartment with dishwashing soap before closing the dishwasher. She turned it on, and he drained the sink. They high-fived after he washed the soapsuds off his hands.

"Great teamwork once again," Andros said and turned off the water.

"I never get tired of being on a team with you," Ashley said and gave his hand a tight squeeze. He couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"Your grip gets stronger every time you give my hand a tight squeeze," Andros commented.

"You want me to squeeze it tighter?" Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Andros responded with a shake of his head. "I'd rather do something else."

He pulled her toward him, releasing his hold on her hand. He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her in great passion. She wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning at his tongue touching hers. He broke away from her to kiss her neck. He slipped his hands underneath her shirt, tracing his fingertips up and down her back. She slid hers under his, stroking his chest and stomach. Jolts of electricity rushed up and down their spines, and their heartbeats quickened.

The lovebirds removed their hands from underneath each other's shirts. Andros pulled away from Ashley's neck. They kissed once more, wrapping their arms around each other. Turning their bodies, he began to move them toward the table. He pulled away, looking at it. He cleared it with a few sweeps of his hand. He laid her down on it before getting on top of her. He put his weight on her, cradling himself in between her legs. He thrusted against her, which made her moan in pleasure.

"That feels so good, Andros," she said breathlessly. He leaned down. He brought his face closer to hers. When his lips were almost on hers, he pulled away without warning. She looked at him with much confusion. "Andros, what are you—"

He put a finger on her lips. "Shh."

Andros gave his girlfriend a sly smile and wink. He slid his hands down her body, stopping at the button on her dark blue jeans. He unbuttoned it before pulling down the zipper. He grabbed the waistband, and she raised her hips, allowing him to pull her jeans and white underwear down her legs and off. He threw them over his shoulder, not caring where they landed. He began to caress her thighs sensually.

Ashley looked at her boyfriend, her eyes showing much lust. Her face was flushed. Her eyes were dilated. She sat up and unbuttoned her shirt slowly, never taking her eyes off him. Andros couldn't stop himself from chuckling. He knew she was teasing him. He removed his shirt and undid his belt. He unzipped his jeans and took them and his blue underwear off.

She threw off her shirt once it was completely unbuttoned. She took his hand. He climbed onto the table, laying her down and getting in between her legs. He rested his full weight on her. Their lips met in a series of kisses. Their hands started to grope and wander. Still kissing, he slid his hand downward, stopping in between her legs. He fondled her wet folds. She moaned pleasurably into his mouth.

"Oh, God," Ashley whispered in huskiness.

He moved his lips to her neck, alternating between kissing and licking it. She turned her head, giving him better access. They were both so turned on. They didn't know how much longer either of them could hold out. He was unable to take it anymore. He pulled away from her neck to look at her, seeing her eyes closed in ecstasy.

"Ashley, look at me," Andros commanded in a firm voice. She opened her eyes, finding his filled with lust. She leaned up to kiss him on the lips twice before moving to his neck. She smothered it with hungry kisses. She felt his rapid heartbeat next to hers.

"Andros," Ashley murmured.

"I want you," Andros growled with so much sexual intensity that it seemed he was about to lose it.

Ashley pulled away from his neck to look him in the eye. "I want you too. I want you inside me right now. Make love to me, Andros. Make me see stars."

Andros gave her a smug smile. "Oh, you'll see more than that."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered and worked her legs around his hips. He reached between them and took himself in hand. "You're mine."

Andros moved closer and closer until he felt himself slip inside Ashley. They moaned together at the feeling. It would never get old for them, and it was the most incredible feeling. He leaned down and kissed her. He braced himself on his hands above her. He started moving slowly. She moaned at his moving inside her. It drove her wild, as did his pleasurable grunts and groans. As he thrusted in and out of her, she put her arms around his neck, pulling his full weight down on her. He slipped his hands underneath her shoulders, using them as leverage as he moved. Her hands wandered all over his body.

"Harder, Andros. Please," Ashley cried intensely and ecstatically.

Andros moved harder and faster within her. Their moans blended together. He buried his face in her neck, muffling his moans. She bit her lip, quieting hers. They couldn't imagine anything better than this. He felt the fire building within him and knew he was getting close to climaxing. However, he didn't want to come first. He wanted her to come with him at the same time. He jerked a hand between them to massage her clit. She moaned very loudly.

"Oh, shit. Oh, God!" Ashley screamed breathlessly.

"You getting close?" Andros asked, his words coming in pants.

"Oh, yes," she answered, unable to stop a whimper from leaving her mouth.

"So am I. Come with me, Ashley," he said intensely. His hips and fingers quickened their pace. "Come with me!"

With three simultaneous movements from his hips and fingers, Andros managed to bring himself and Ashley to climax with no time in between. He clenched his teeth together as he came. She let out a low, deep moan. Her arms and legs wrapped tightly around him during the throes of her climax. Her grip loosened once it subsided.

She felt his hot breath against her neck as he panted hard. Their heartbeats slowed down until they returned to normal. He raised his head, laying it on her chest. He sighed contently at her breathing. She moved one hand to his head while the other stroked his back. He smiled against her chest before emitting a breathy chuckle.

"We'll qualify for the Olympics in the sex category if we keep going like this," Andros said.

"I bet we'd blow the competition out of the water," Ashley replied, giggling.

He removed his head from her chest to look at her. "Who should be on top, me or you?"

She slapped him on the shoulder. "I don't care! I just want to make love with you!"

"That's the perfect answer," he said slyly and kissed her tenderly. "I don't know about you, but I'm itching for a bath."

"I'd love to take one with you," she said lovingly. "Afterward, you'll get your surprise."

"Great," Andros replied, kissing her twice. "However, we're not going upstairs naked." He touched her nose.

"Aw, man!" Ashley whined with a pout. "I was hoping we could do that." She faked crying.

"No whining," Andros said, shaking his finger at her. "Now, come on."

He climbed off her and helped her stand up. They dressed themselves quickly. They put their arms around each other as they went upstairs.


	9. In the Bathtub and Sexy Seduction

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I can't believe I've gotten over fifty reviews. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, and katxox for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. There is also sexual content in it. Like before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you can read at your own risk. Stay tuned for chapter ten.

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Chapter 9: In the Bathtub/Sexy Seduction

Andros ran a soapy washrag down Ashley's back as they sat in the bathtub twenty-five minutes later. He hummed a sweet tune as he moved it upward. She looked up, sighing in content. He ran it downward once more. He ducked it in the water. He splashed her back while running it upward, which washed off the soap. She peered over her shoulder at him.

"Thanks for washing me," she said sweetly.

"You're welcome," he said and slid the washrag over her upper back. "It's the least I could do after you washed me. Come to think of it. This is rather interesting."

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"

"We took a shower together this morning. Now, we're having a bath together," Andros commented. "Who would've thought that would've happened?"

"I don't know, but I love that it happened," Ashley giggled.

Andros stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "So do I."

"If we go on a trip to a cabin with our friends, we're locking the door when we go into a room by ourselves," Ashley whispered seriously yet mischievously.

"Oh, I like that idea," Andros replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "We could stay in that room for a long time doing you-know-what."

"Unfortunately, that would annoy the others, especially Cassie. She fusses at me when I take longer than she likes in her bathroom during our get-togethers," Ashley muttered, making a weird noise. "On top of that, we don't want our friends to find out about our sexual involvement." She let out a painful wince.

"They will eventually. So will our families. So what if they do? I love making love with you," Andros whispered seductively. He put the washrag aside.

"So do I," Ashley agreed. "By the way, my parents booked a hotel room to stay at overnight for Thursday. You want to come over to my house for some time alone?"

"I'd like that very much," Andros answered, touching her cheek with his thumb. "I get dibs on the remote." He stifled a snicker.

"In your dreams," Ashley retorted playfully.

He smirked. "I know you like seeing me in your dreams. I have little doubt you will have some steamy ones about us before we made love for the first time last night."

Ashley blushed such a deep shade of red that she looked like a cherry. She giggled at her boyfriend tickling her neck. The redness faded from her face. They shared a kiss.

"So, how about I cook us breakfast for supper when I come over to your house on Thursday?" Andros asked, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend.

"I'd love that," Ashley responded, love echoing from her voice.

He smiled warmly. "Great. The best part is I don't have to be home until ten-thirty."

"Neither do I whenever I go out. Of course, my curfew an hour later on the weekends," she pointed out.

"So is mine. We are so lucky for that," he said, letting out a contented sigh.

She chuckled to herself. "Yep, yep, yep."

"If you say that line one more time, you'll become Ducky, Ashley," Andros warned in a playful manner.

"I'd love to be Ducky," Ashley commented and turned around. "You can be Petrie."

"Me no know," Andros said in Petrie's voice. He cleared his throat. "Nice imitation of Petrie, don't you think?"

She gave him a thumbs-up. He wrapped his arms around her a little more tightly before kissing her cheek again. He rocked her from side to side.

"I have to say that Karone is damn lucky to have _The Land Before Time_ soundtrack. It's not real common," Andros said, rubbing Ashley's arms.

"She just happened to find it in that clearance bin at Harrison's Music Shop while we and Zhane were looking at CDs four months ago. She really wanted to have it since she loved the music from the film so much," Ashley explained.

"She was so excited to have it that she started listening to it the second we got home. Sometimes, I see her listening to it while she is studying," Andros said, smiling lightly.

"Neat," Ashley said, bringing her hands up to his arm.

"Yeah," Andros agreed. "What's great about being up is that we don't have to hear Brian's off-key singing." He became disgusted. "He sounds like a rake being dragged down a chalkboard."

"You said it. Every time someone tells him he's bad at singing, he writes them off being jealous of his 'great' voice," Ashley mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Veronica says the same thing. She even flipped us off when we told her that once," Andros added.

"I wanted to take that finger and shove it up her ass," Ashley hissed in some anger. "That girl has no sense of civility whatsoever."

"No shit, Sherlock," Andros muttered and scoffed in annoyance. "I have to say that I'm glad we're here for the weekend. We don't have to worry about adults getting on our cases for saying curse words." He became a little tense.

"I remember when I overheard Mom say fuck after she accidentally cut her finger while chopping onions for spaghetti. I was eight years old. I went to Dad and asked him what it meant. He was horrified and demanded to know where I heard that. I told him I overheard Mom saying it. He went to her and chewed her out. They explained to me it was a crude curse word that should never be uttered by anyone. They told me to promise I'd never say it again. I did. Then they grounded me by sending me to bed early. I haven't said it since, except to myself or when I'm with you guys," Ashley whispered, slipping locks of hair behind her ears.

"Good for you. Your parents don't need to hear you talking like that," Andros answered and stopped rocking her. He patted her shoulder before giving it a light kiss.

"Well, they won't be able to stop me from cursing after I move out of the house into a college dorm. They can't exactly call and demand to know if I've been saying curse words," Ashley pointed out.

"That's true," Andros agreed, running his fingers through her hair. "Until then, we just have to be careful with what we say."

Ashley winked at Andros, laughing at his pinching her cheek. She looked ahead, closing her eyes.

"Let's get back to talking about singing," she suggested.

"Great idea. We have five wonderful singers in our circle of friends. They are Kim, Kat, Aisha, Tanya, and Cassie," he said and moved his hands to her shoulders.

"It'd be wonderful to hear them sing together one day," Ashley commented, sighing in warmness. She opened her eyes.

"I think they'd make a great band," Andros said and sang nonsense. He moved his head from side to side.

"You just had to start singing nonsense, didn't you?" Ashley growled in playfulness.

"What can I say?" Andros said, giving a shrug and laughing. "It's fun singing nonsense."

"Yes, it is, but it's not as fun as doing this," Ashley said and turned around to kiss him passionately. Her tongue touched his, making him moan in pleasure. She reached down to grab his cock. She stroked it very slowly. She groaned in frustration when he grabbed her wrists and broke the kiss. "What are you doing?"

"No offense, Ash, but I really don't want to do it in the bathtub right now," Andros whispered regretfully. He cupped her chin in his hand. "What I want is my surprise."

Ashley smiled and kissed his cheek twice. She didn't want to deny him his surprise anymore.

"Okay. I'm ready to give it to you," Ashley said, snorting. "Why don't you go downstairs and get a fire going? I'll get it for you in a few minutes."

"That sounds good to me," Andros said, winking at her. She moved back, allowing him to get out of the bathtub. "If there's one thing that's clear, it's this bath was very relaxing."

Ashley folded her arms on the rim and laid her head on them. She watched Andros pick up a towel laying on the stool and dry himself off with it. She felt her heart rate quickening. It was taking all of her strength not to get out of the bathtub and kiss him like there was no tomorrow, which would probably lead them to making love on the floor in here. She didn't mind doing that, however. She was willing to try lovemaking anywhere.

He finished drying himself off and tied the towel around his waist. She saw him head out of the bathroom. She closed her eyes, sighing in content. She believed he would love the surprise she had in store for him. She was surprised he hadn't tried to guess what it was. Then again, she was glad he hadn't as it meant he wanted her to show it to him. She grabbed the washrag and slid it over her arm.

00000

A fire was burning brightly in the living room fireplace ten minutes later. Andros lay on his back on the same blanket he and Ashley made love on last night. He had his hands behind his head. He listened to the embers popping. He let out a quiet yet impatient sigh. He wondered when she would be coming downstairs. He wanted to see his surprise so badly.

Footsteps caught his attention. He sat up to see her coming down the stairs. He could see she was wearing a blue robe. She slowed down her pace, as she got closer to the bottom. He chuckled, knowing that she was teasing him. She finally got there and made her way over to him. She stopped before him, looking him straight in the eye.

"So, where's my surprise?" he asked curiously.

"Here it comes," she answered, giggling. "Prepare to be dazzled."

She untied her robe. She opened it, showing she was wearing a very revealing pink nightie that came down to mid-thigh and showed off her cleavage. He saw she was wearing pink underwear through it. He swallowed hard, his breathing coming out in pants. He felt his heartbeat quicken as well as his cock harden. She held her arms down, her robe falling at a pool at her feet. She smiled seductively at him.

"Shit. You look so damn sexy in that thing," Andros whispered huskily.

"It's Victoria's Secret," Ashley said, getting into his lap. "I got it at a lingerie store that sells the brand." She slid her arms around his neck.

"Good choice," Andros responded. He felt tempted to rip her nightie and underwear off and ravish her body with his mouth, but he wouldn't do that. He wanted to savor being with her.

"The best part is Mom and Dad don't know about it," Ashley whispered, pressing her forehead against his. "I told them I was going to buy a couple of pairs of underwear."

"You sneaky little vixen," Andros growled intensely. "I like it."

"Good," Ashley whispered, her breathing becoming heavy. "You're mine."

She kissed him with great passion. She slid her hands into his hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. He moved one hand into hers and the other to the small of her back. Their tongues wrestled for control, and they moaned into each other's mouths. Her heartrate sped up to match his. Electricity jolted up and down their spines before going through their bodies at a rapid rate.

She trailed her lips to his ear. She nibbled on the earlobe gently at first, but she increased the pressure on it. He emitted a soft groan, moving his hands to her shoulders. He gripped them as if he couldn't hang on to anything else. She nuzzled his jawline and kissed her way to his neck. She alternated between licking at and sucking on it. He tilted his head to the side to give her better access. He sighed in much ecstasy.

Andros winced painfully at Ashley's biting down on his neck. He sighed in much relief when the pain faded. He hoped a mark would be there the next morning. In fact, he didn't mind if she left marks all over his body in the least bit. All that mattered was they were together and that nothing could keep them apart right now.

Ashley pulled away from Andros's neck and stared him in the eye. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they went to the hem of his blue t-shirt. She began to move it upward. He held up his arms, allowing her to remove it. She threw it over her shoulder, not caring where it landed. She captured his lips in a possessive kiss. She stroked his chest, stomach, back, arms. She traced every muscle that lined them. She pushed him down on the blanket.

She moved her lips to his neck, smothering it with hungry kisses. She went to his earlobe to tease it with her tongue. He couldn't stop a whimper from leaving his mouth. She pulled away to kiss him hard. She pushed her tongue past his lips and touched his. She smiled when she heard ecstatic moan come from him. She slid her hands up and down his body so slowly that it seemed she wasn't even moving them. She trailed kisses down to his chest. She alternated between licking at and sucking on the spot over his heart. He squeezed his eyes shut, his breathing coming out in pants.

She returned to his lips for a hard kiss, her tongue teasing his. She rolled his nipples in her hands, making them hard to her touch. She leaned down to take his left nipple into her mouth. He growled intensely when she sucked on it. He arched his back, his hands grabbing at the blanket tightly. His growl became louder at her rolling his nipple with her tongue. He opened his eyes, clenching his teeth.

She lavished the right nipple with the same amount attention. He moaned in pleasure and rolled his head back into the pillow. He increased his grip on the blanket. She kissed him with much passion. Their tongues became engaged in a fight for control. They groaned into each other's mouths. They hugged each other tightly, reluctant to let go.

"Oh, God. Ashley," Andros whispered, his voice lined with seduction.

Ashley kissed his neck hungrily. "Yes, Andros. Yes."

The lovebirds became engaged in another passionate kiss. Andros turned his and Ashley's bodies until he was on top of her and in between her legs. He broke their lip lock to smother her neck with hungry kisses. She ran her fingers through his hair, tilting her head to the side. She sighed in delight as he licked at her earlobe. She felt the familiar fire building within her veins, as did he in his.

He slid his thumb under the left strap of her nightie. He pulled it off her shoulder, exposing her nipple. He teased the nipple, feeling it harden underneath his touch. He leaned down and took it into his mouth to suck on it. She screamed in ecstasy, her head rolling back into the pillow. She got louder when he bit down on it and rolled it with his tongue. His other hand moved up to the right strap and pulled it down to reveal her other nipple. He teased it, making it harden.

Andros took Ashley's other nipple into his mouth, sucking on it. She was unable to keep a whimper from escaping her mouth. Her hands went to the blanket, grabbing at them in a tight manner. Her grip tightened when he bit down on her nipple and rolled it with his tongue. She felt his lips on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his weight down on top of her. He pulled away from her and grabbed the straps. He pulled her nightie down her body until it was completely off. He tossed it aside.

He grabbed the waistband of her underwear and pulled it down her legs very slowly. She smiled as she could tell he was teasing her. He threw it away once it was off. He kissed her once more while bringing a hand between them. He touched her wet folds and began to fondle them. She gasped softly. She moved her hips with his motions as he stroked her clit with his thumb. She screamed in ecstasy as she came. She became so lost in it that she forgot to breath.

Ashley's high ebbed away, a sated feeling going through her body. She kissed Andros passionately, turning their bodies until she was on top of him. He emitted a soft moan. She had to smile into his mouth. She broke the kiss and stared at his green shorts, finding his erection poking through them. She grabbed the waistband and pulled them and his white underwear off, seeing it spring free. She climbed back on top of him, giving him another kiss.

She took hold of his cock to stroke it gently. She got a soft groan from him. She twisted her hands around it slowly at first, but she went faster. He squeezed his eyes shut, emitting a loud whimper. She started to pump him. He growled intensely, his hands flying above him and grabbing at the pillow. He tore away from the kiss, staring into her eyes.

"Ashley, I've got to be inside you right now," Andros said, clenching his teeth.

"Okay," Ashley answered, releasing her hold on him. "Your wish is my command."

Ashley balanced herself on her hands and knees as Andros took himself in hand. She leaned down to kiss him as she started lowering herself. He held himself in hand until he felt her buttocks against it. She groaned at the feeling of his tip against her entrance. She didn't stop her descent until he was sheathed to the hilt. They moaned simultaneously as she began moving up and down on him. Her hands went above his shoulders, and he took hold of her hips and helped her move on him as he met her movements with his.

Her head flew back when he brought his hands to her breasts. He rubbed and pinched her nipples. She emitted an ecstatic scream when he took the right nipple into his mouth and rolled it with his tongue. Her boyfriend repeated his actions with the left one. She felt the fire climbing higher within her. She had no doubt it was just as intense in him.

Ashley kissed Andros on the lips again. She traveled to his ear and proceeded to nibble on it. He groaned loudly while laying his hands on her shoulders. She kissed down to his chest. She looked up at him. She rolled his nipples in her hands, smiling at a throaty groan coming from him. She took the left one in her mouth, sucking on it hard. He growled with great intensity. He anchored her head to him. He got louder as she lavished the same amount of attention on his right nipple.

Andros felt the fire within him reaching its peak. He brought his hand between him and Ashley to massage her clit. She emitted a pleasurable moan from her mouth. Her hands grabbed at the pillow. She closed her eyes with a soft whimper. They kissed long and hard, their tongues battling for control. They groaned into each other's mouths. She opened her eyes and tore away from his lips to stare into his.

"Andros, I can't—" Ashley started.

Andros sat up, grabbing his girlfriend's hips very roughly. He moved her harder and faster on him while thrusting up into her just as hard and fast. They were almost at their climax.

"Come for me, Ashley!" Andros commanded. "Come now!"

Ashley increased the speed of her movements. She leaned her head back as Andros took her right breast into his mouth and sucked on it. She moaned as her climax took her, triggering his. He bit down on her breast, coming with a muffled moan. Their bodies spasmed against each other. They hugged each other. Their breathing came out as hard pants.

Andros found himself unable to remain sitting up. He fell back onto the blanket, taking Ashley with him. She rolled off him and snuggled up to him. She rested her head on his chest. She sighed contently at his arms going around her. She traced her fingertips over his stomach, listening to his heartbeat. She blinked three times.

"Damn," she whispered, letting out a loud shudder. "Just when I thought making love couldn't get any better, it does."

"It's only going to get better from here on out," he said honestly.

Ashley sighed sadly, a tear falling down her cheek. "Unfortunately, we're going home tomorrow." She sniffled.

"I know, but there's Thursday evening to look forward to," Andros pointed out.

"Of course," Ashley whispered, smiling. "We'll be seeing each other at school on Monday too."

Andros nodded in agreement. "That's right. I have to admit that I will miss Angel Grove High after we graduate." He frowned.

"I will miss it too. It's been like a second home to me," Ashley commented.

"Then again, there's college to look forward to," Andros said, warmth echoing from his voice.

"Yep," Ashley agreed and removed her head from his chest. She looked at him. "Now, let's forget about everything for right now."

The lovebirds shared a series of soft kisses before engaging in a passionate one. Their heart rates quickened, and fire built up within their veins. Ashley climbed on top of Andros. She got her legs on either side of him. She kissed his jaw before nuzzling it. She traveled to his ear and nibbled on it. He emitted a throaty groan. He felt her lips on his again. He slid his hands into her hair in which he grabbed fistfuls of it.

Ashley moaned excitedly when she felt Andros slide his tongue into her mouth and touch hers. Her hands wandered up and down his sides. She grabbed his butt, giving it a hard squeeze. He groaned into her mouth. He sat up, keeping his grip on her hair. She grabbed his cock. He tore away from her lips, an intense growl coming from him. He stared into her eyes while she stroked his cock in a very slow manner.

"You're killing me," Andros said, his voice showing huskiness.

Ashley smiled in seduction. "I'm glad I am."

She captured his lips in a possessive kiss. He caressed her breasts, her nipples hardening at his touch. He planted gentle kisses along her neck. He alternated between licking and sucking on it. She screamed in much ecstasy while leaning her head back. The world faded around them as they proceeded to make love again.


	10. Early Morning Musings

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ten of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. I want to emphasis that Tommy/Kat, Adam/Tanya, Rocky/Aisha, Jason/Emily, and Zack/Trini will be minor pairings. The primary focus is on Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, and TJ/Cassie. For those who don't like a particular pairing such as Tommy/Kat, you can just skim over the scenes that have it. That way, you can still focus on reading this fic. Stay tuned for chapter eleven.

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Chapter 10: Early Morning Musings

Ashley moaned in great pleasure as Andros moved inside her just after midnight. She was on her back while he hovered over her. The second blanket was tightly wrapped around their bodies. She kissed him passionately. She slid her tongue into his mouth, tracing every line of it. He growled intensely as he thrusted harder into her. He tore away from her lips. He trailed kisses to her neck. He alternated between licking and sucking on it. His body became tighter with every thrust.

Feeling the fire within him reaching its peak, he reached down to massage her clit. She screamed in incredible ecstasy, her head rolling back into the pillow. She brought her arms around his neck, letting out soft whimpers. She pulled him down to kiss him. He pushed his tongue past her lips, touching hers. Their tongues engaged in a duel for control, and they groaned in much delight. He rolled her nipples in his hands. He pulled away from her to stare into her eyes.

"I'm almost there, Ashley," Andros moaned, his hands curling into fists.

"Me too, Andros," Ashley whispered, her breathing coming out in shudders. "Me too."

Andros and Ashley kissed long and hard while wrapping their arms around each other. His thrusts became harder and faster with each passing second. He buried his face into her neck, kissing it hungrily. They approached their climax. She grabbed his shoulders as if she were trying to keep herself from falling into the abyss. She cried out pleasurably at the feeling of him biting down on her.

He finally came and released himself into her, growling in ecstasy. She echoed her release to him a few seconds later. Their bodies trembled against each other. They found themselves coming back to reality. They breathed hard while pressing their foreheads together. Their heartbeats slowed down and got back to normal. She placed her hand on his cheek.

"That was really incredible," Ashley whispered with much love in her voice.

Andros licked his lips while nodding. "Yeah."

Andros kissed Ashley and leaned down, laying his head on her chest. She ran her hand over his hair. She whispered inaudible words to him. She looked up at the ceiling.

"This cabin is so cozy. It gives us so much privacy," she said, sighing in content.

"So did the Megaship whenever we stayed on it. We never had to worry about anyone barging into our rooms because of the automated locks," he replied.

"Thank God for locks," Ashley said in much relief. "I wouldn't want anyone barging in while we're making love."

"Neither would I," Andros agreed.

She emitted a small chuckle. "You'd probably fall off the bed if that happened."

"Only if I can take you with me," Andros retorted and removed his head from his girlfriend's chest to look at her. She punched him in the shoulder. He squeezed her sides. She smacked him on the chest.

"You need to quit squeezing my sides!" Ashley yelled, her voice showing mock anger.

He smirked. "Hey, I need some way to retaliate when you punch me."

"Just don't squeeze my sides or else," Ashley threatened in playfulness.

"Or else what?" Andros asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ashley held up a fist, an evil-sounding chuckle coming out of her mouth. "This will happen."

She pressed her fist against his chin. He pretended to groan and fell on his back. His body twitched twice before ceasing all movement. His eyes closed completely. She leaned closer to him carefully. She screamed when he regained consciousness and pulled her on top of him. She ruffled his hair.

"You're crazy, Andros!" Ashley blurted out in delight.

"I'm proud to be crazy!" Andros said with pride.

"Boom, boom. Ain't it great to be crazy? Boom, boom. Ain't it great to be crazy?" Ashley sang.

"Giddy and foolish the whole day through," Andros added.

"Boom, boom. Ain't it great to be crazy? Boom, boom. Ain't it great to be crazy?" Andros and Ashley sang, moving from side to side. "Giddy and foolish the whole day through. Boom, boom. Ain't it great to be crazy?"

The lovebirds laughed as they became still. They kissed tenderly before rubbing noses. She rested her head on his chest, smiling at his arms going around her.

"Your arms are so strong, yet they are so gentle," Ashley whispered warmly.

"I'm glad you think they are. I would've pinched your butt repeatedly until you said they were," Andros said, smirking.

She took her head off his chest, narrowing her eyes at him. "Do it. I dare you."

"Okay," Andros replied and gave her butt a hard pinch, making her jump. He made a honking sound when she tweaked his nose.

"Your nose has become a horn just like mine," Ashley quipped.

He winked at her and laughed lightly. "Now, we can honk our noses together." He brought his hand up to stroke her cheek. "I'll do yours first."

"That's fine with me," Ashley commented. "We shouldn't honk them too much, though. We'll annoy each other."

"I don't mind annoying you. It's fun," he answered proudly.

"Not as fun as doing this," she whispered and kissed him on the lips. She pulled back, seeing him smile at her.

"That is more fun," Andros agreed. He felt her lay her head back on his chest. He traced his fingers up and down her back. "I have to say this blanket is very soft."

"Yeah. I think I could sink down into it," Ashley responded.

"Could I come with you if you do?" Andros wondered with a snicker.

Ashley giggled gleefully. "Sure. Just don't fall on top of me!"

"Hey, you fall on top of me more often than I do on you!" Andros yelled in mock annoyance.

"I do not!" Ashley retorted in playfulness.

Andros smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "It's the truth. Get used to it."

Ashley hissed and smacked Andros on the shoulder. She screamed in surprise when he squeezed her side. She removed her head from his chest to give him a mock angry look. He chuckled at her deviously.

"You're so mean, Andros!" Ashley shouted and let out a soft growl.

"Hey, I like being mean. It makes me cool," Andros replied, pinching her nose.

She narrowed her eyes at him, her hand balling into a fist. "I know what would be cool."

"What?" Andros wondered.

"Dropping an ice cube down your shirt and watching you jump around in trying to reach for it," Ashley answered, her voice filled with much pride.

He pointed his finger in her face. "Only if I can drop one down yours first."

"No, thank you," Ashley commented and waved her finger in the air.

"Spoilsport," Andros mumbled.

"I heard that," Ashley replied, narrowing her eyes at him. He blew a raspberry at her, getting one from her in return. They alternated between each other for a minute before stopping. They kissed three times. She returned her head to his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, letting out a warm sigh. "Your heart is so strong. I can never get tired of listening to it."

"It takes a strong heart to fight evil," Andros said truthfully.

"It also takes great courage," Ashley added, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. "You showed that every time you protected me from danger."

"The same goes for you," Andros whispered, sliding his hand into her hair. "I admit that I do miss being a Ranger. I enjoyed helping people." He let out a quiet sniffle.

"Me too," Ashley agreed, a tear falling down her cheek. "Using my fighting skills to protect people from harm made me feel really good."

"The same goes for me. What I learned is having powers didn't make you a Power Ranger. Doing the right thing did," Andros commented seriously.

"Of course. I remember when I would overhear people talking about the Power Rangers in the hallway. They made it sound like it was fun and games," she muttered, an angry scoff coming from her mouth. "Being a superhero was never fun and games. It was a very serious and hard job."

"You're damn right it was," he said matter-of-factly. "I bet those people wouldn't be able to handle being superheroes if they were given the job."

Ashley nodded in agreement. She sighed contently at his running his fingers through her hair. She traced her fingertips over his stomach and chest. She closed her eyes.

"One thing is clear. With great power comes great responsibility. If you abuse it in any way, shape, or form, then you are not worthy of it," Ashley said calmly yet firmly.

"That's right," Andros agreed. He moved his hand to her shoulder. "Another thing is clear. I will lay down my life to protect you from harm." He gave it a gentle squeeze.

"The same thing goes for me with you," Ashley said, opening her eyes. She took her head off his chest to kiss him on the lips. He slid his hand into her hair, deepening it. He moaned into her mouth when he felt her tongue enter it. They broke apart and pressed their foreheads together.

"On top of that, you're a damn great kisser," Andros said softly.

"So are you," Ashley responded, smiling lightly. "In fact, I say you're a better kisser than I am."

He chuckled and kissed her once more. Their kiss became passionately quickly. They moaned at their tongues touching and fighting for control. They broke apart, breathing heavily.

"You know, I don't think we'll ever get enough of each other," Andros admitted.

"Nope," Ashley answered with a shake of her head. "We're so irresistible to each other that we can't stay apart."

"Simply irresistible. So fine," he sang while waving his finger as if it were a baton.

"There's no telling where the money went," she added and moved her head back and forth.

"Simply irresistible, she's all mine. There's no other way to go," Andros finished. They laughed heartily. " _Simply Irresistible_ is one of my favorite songs. I get an itch to sing it whenever someone mentions irresistible."

A big smile crossed Ashley's lips. "Robert Palmer does a great job of singing it. His voice has a melody that no other singer has."

"It's also deep. He reminds me of Rick Astley," Andros said, gesturing toward his throat.

"When I heard _Never Gonna Give You Up_ for the first time, I didn't think that was Rick's real voice at all. It sounded too deep for a young man like him. I was surprised when Mom told me it really was his," Ashley replied, squealing in glee.

Andros tried to stifle a laugh, but he couldn't help himself. "Singers are well known for surprising their fans."

"You got that right," Ashley agreed, flicking his chin. She jumped when he pinched her butt. She narrowed her eyes at him, presenting a fist to his face. "Don't touch my butt again or else, you little pervert." She flared her nostrils.

"Or what? You going to punch me in the chin like you did earlier?" Andros asked as he sat up to hover over her.

Ashley shook her head while giggling quietly. "No."

She pressed her fist in between his eyes. He groaned and fell on his back. He spread his arms apart, losing consciousness. She leaned close to him, screaming in fright when he woke up and pulled her down on top of him. She ruffled his hair before smacking him in the cheek with a piece of it.

"You're a real piece of work, Andros," Ashley mumbled, shaking her head

"I'm glad I am. Then again, you're just as good I am," Andros said sweetly.

"Why, thank you," Ashley said with a wink. She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. He did the same with hers.

"I'm so happy I'm with you right now, Ash. There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be," Andros whispered, his voice filled with much love and warmth.

"No matter where you are, you are always with me in my heart," Ashley murmured, her voice becoming choked with sobs. "I can't thank you enough for all the times you saved my life."

"It's what men do," Andros said, giving her two winks. "They protect their women from dangerous threats."

"Women do the same for their men. They can be just as tough and tenacious," Ashley pointed out.

"Of course. I like strong, independent women. You're one of them. In fact, you're the strongest and most independent woman I know. You can take care of yourself and aren't afraid to speak your mind. You won't let anyone knock you down. If you do fall down, you just get right back up," Andros said proudly.

"Thanks," Ashley whispered, a small giggle leaving her mouth. "I feel so fortunate to have you as my boyfriend."

"I feel just as fortunate to have you as my girlfriend," Andros responded lovingly. "My strong, independent girlfriend, that is."

Andros and Ashley kissed once more. They started soft at first, but the kiss became passionate rapidly. They hugged each other, their tongues wrestling for control. Their ecstatic moans seemed to blend together in an endless chorus. He flipped her over on her back, settling in between her legs. He lavished her neck with gentle kisses before returning to her lips. He grabbed at her head as if to keep himself from going over the edge.

He ran his hands all over her body. She slipped her arms around his neck. He moved between nibbling and sucking on her neck. She moaned in pleasure while kissing his shoulder. She nuzzled her face against his throat. She put her hands on his cheeks. She pressed a fierce kiss against his lips. Her tongue entered his mouth, and he let out an excited groan. They got lost in the pleasures of lovemaking again.


	11. Going Home

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eleven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has a bit of Andros/Ashley. I will begin bringing in the veteran Rangers in the next few chapters. Stay tuned for chapter twelve.

XXXXX

Chapter 11: Going Home

Clouds covered much of the early afternoon sky above the forest highway. A white-tailed deer was chewing on a piece of bark it had pulled off the tree it stood next to. It swallowed with a loud gulp. It watched Ashley's van pass while swiveling its ears. It pulled another piece of bark off the tree.

Ashley moved her hands to the top of the steering wheel. She saw a bump in the road come into view. She drove around it, getting the van straight very quickly. She gazed over at Andros, who was looking out the window. She turned her attention back to the road.

"What are you thinking about, Andros?" she asked curiously.

"I'm thinking about our return to your aunt's cabin at Christmas. I can't wait for it," he said excitedly.

"Me neither. I bet it will even be more romantic than this getaway was," Ashley said, her face beaming with happiness.

"So do I. It'll be four days of walking along the lake, swinging on the balcony swing, making love in front of a fire, and other things," Andros said, looking at her.

She smiled. "The lovemaking is what I am looking forward to the most. I can't believe how much we went at it over the last two days."

"You're not kidding," Andros agreed. "We couldn't keep our hands off each other, not to mention you seduced me in that very revealing nightie. Damn. You looked so sexy in that." He wolf-whistled, causing her to break into a fit of giggles.

"You want me to seduce you with that nightie again when we go back up there for Christmas?" Ashley asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

He growled playfully and put his hands behind his head. "You can seduce me with it anytime."

"That's good because I am planning to do that. In fact, I might not wear any underwear at all," Ashley said, gazing at him with a big smile on her face.

"Ooh. That would make you even sexier," Andros said, howling as if he were a wolf.

Ashley giggled hysterically and hit her hand on the wheel. She loved it when Andros did that. She thought he'd make a handsome wolf. She saw another bump in the road and attempted to drive around it, but she ended up hitting it. They bounced up and down in their seats. She straightened her van with a turn of the wheel.

"Wow. What a bounce!" Andros blurted out cheerfully.

"You're telling me. I think we nearly gave my van a sunroof," Ashley joked and put her hand on the ceiling. She acted as if she were pushing on it.

"Would you like a sunroof for your van?" Andros wondered, furrowing his brow.

"I'd love a sunroof for my van. In fact, you can install one in it for me," Ashley commented, putting her hand back on the wheel.

"I'd do that if I knew how," Andros said, emitting a small sigh.

"Oh, well. It was just a thought," Ashley responded, giving a shrug. "Besides, I don't want to accidentally forget to close it and have heavy rain soak my seats."

"If that happened, we could car pool," Andros quipped with a loud snicker.

"I don't think so," Ashley said, shaking her head rapidly.

"I do think so," Andros said, nodding just as fast.

She scoffed and waved him off, getting a laugh from him. She hit a pothole, which caused them to sink down in their seats. They straightened themselves up. They made funny noises.

"Whoa. That was a real sink down in our seats," he commented, a laugh coming out of his mouth.

"Yes, it was," she agreed. "At least our seatbelts kept us from sinking down even further."

Andros touched the lap part of his seatbelt. "I can see why seatbelts were invented." He adjusted it a little bit. "They help to keep passengers from getting severely injured or killed in automobile crashes."

"So true. Of course, some people have been killed in crashes, despite they were wearing their seatbelts," Ashley pointed out.

"I know. Some people think they don't need to wear their seatbelts while they are driving around town. The reality is most crashes happen within thirty miles of home," Andros said seriously.

Ashley raised her eyebrows. "I read about that. No matter how short of a trip I have to drive, I will always wear my seatbelt. It's plain old common sense."

"Unfortunately, common sense doesn't seem to be so common these days," Andros muttered dejectedly.

"Mm-hmm," she agreed, sighing heavily. "People will throw their common sense out the window when they are dared to do something dangerous. They want to prove how tough they are." She became very disgusted. "That's not being tough. That's being stupid."

"You know what they say, 'You can't fix stupid,'" he said bluntly and rolled his eyes.

"Exactly," Ashley replied with a sharp nod. She drove around another bump. She managed to get her van straight. "You'll never see me take a dangerous dare. Nope, nope, nope."

"Me neither," Andros said, his hands balling into fists. "Then again, I can always dare you to make love with me."

"Now, _that_ is a dare I can take," Ashley commented with a giggle.

"Okay, Ms. Hammond. I dare you to stop the van and drag me into the back, so you can make love with me," Andros said, smiling suggestively.

"I'd love to, Mr. Parker, but we promised our families we'd be home by late afternoon," Ashley said in seriousness.

He put his hand over his face, feeling embarrassed. "Oh, right. I forgot."

Ashley peered at him in the corner of her eye as he laid his hand in his lap. She felt bad for ruining his dare. She started thinking about what would make him feel better. Suddenly, an idea clicked in her mind.

"To make it up to you, why don't I stop on the side of the road and make love with you while we are on our way back from our Christmas stay?" Ashley suggested and returned her attention to the road.

He looked at her, smiling very eagerly. "That's perfect."

"Great," Ashley replied in happiness.

"I will reward you with this," Andros said and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. He rubbed the same spot before settling back in his seat.

"Thanks," she said lovingly.

"You're welcome," he whispered and put his hands behind his head. "Just don't crash the van." He imitated Curly's signature nyuk-nyuk-nyuk.

She blushed somewhat, but it was enough to make her face red. "Oh, shush!"

He laughed to himself. He looked up at the ceiling and started singing nonsense. The redness faded from her face.

00000

A blue jay flew through the sky above an Angel Grove neighborhood in the late afternoon. It spotted the Johnson residence and decided to go downward. The house was large and had three bedrooms and two bathrooms. A wooden fence surrounded the backyard. A patio was in front of the back door and had a metal table and four matching chairs. A swing was on the front porch.

The jay landed on the living room's windowsill and looked inside to see TJ and Karone playing _Sonic the Hedgehog 2_ while they sat on the couch _._ The room was medium-sized with pine end tables, an oak coffee table, and two armchairs. The TV was across from the couch. A VCR sat on top of it. The walls were beige. The floor was covered in green carpet.

TJ and Karone formed determined looks on their faces. He was Sonic while she was Tails. They were neck in neck going to the second star post in Emerald Hill Zone Act 1 until he performed a spin attack to get ahead of her. He laughed in delight and wiggled his eyebrows.

"It looks like I'm going to beat you, Karone!" TJ exclaimed.

"I wouldn't say that, TJ," Karone warned sternly. She did a spindash and got ahead of him very quickly. She took the bottom route and jumped over the leaping fish. She went up the slope and toward the marker, getting past it. She pumped her fist, laughing cheerfully. "Tails manages to beat Sonic yet again!"

He chuckled quietly and leaned over to turn off the game. "Nice job at getting ahead of me."

"Thanks. It's really cool how Tails uses his tails to make himself go faster," Karone said and moved her arms around repeatedly. She put the controller on the coffee table, as did he with his.

"He might, but he'll never be as fast as Sonic," TJ said.

She became very thoughtful. "If there is one thing Tails can do that Sonic can't, it's that he can fly."

"Yeah, but he can't go very high," he pointed out.

"Maybe he can't, but he is great at carrying Sonic to places he can't reach," she replied, chuckling quietly.

"So true," TJ agreed.

"I'm going into the kitchen to get me a coke," Karone said, jerking her thumb in the direction of the kitchen. "Would you like me to get you one?"

"Sure," TJ said with a big smile. "Thanks."

Karone winked at him. "No problem."

Karone stood up to go into the kitchen, which was medium-sized with green cabinets, green walls, a bar with two stools, a pine table with six unmatching chairs, and a white tile floor. She opened the refrigerator to get two cokes. She closed it with a loud slam. She returned to the living room and handed one of them to TJ, who had put the Sega Genesis on top of the TV. She seated herself in her spot. They opened their cokes. They sipped them, nodding in approval.

"Nothing like a coke right after a video game, is there?" TJ asked. He put his coke on the end table next to him, as did she with hers on the other one.

"You said it, TJ," Karone agreed. "I like how video games can improve eye-hand coordination. That makes working various jobs much easier."

"I know. You have to keep your eyes on what is in front of you while you're working a machine's controls," TJ said, moving his hands in different directions. "One wrong move, and someone could be hurt very badly."

"Or killed," Karone added.

"Exactly," TJ said and put his arm on top of the couch. "I hope Andros and Ashley had a nice time at her aunt's cabin."

"Me too," Karone said, smiling lightly. "They probably did a bunch of making out all weekend." She cupped her chin in her hand.

"Most likely. A cabin is the perfect place for that," TJ commented, making kissing sounds.

"No kidding, Sherlock," Karone replied, giggling softly. "You'd have to ply those two apart with a crowbar. They can't keep away from each other."

"You and Zhane can't keep away from each other either," TJ said, a snicker coming out of his mouth.

"Yeah, but we're not quite as bad as my brother and his girlfriend," Karone pointed out with a shrug. "Then again, it's nice when people get to spend time alone with their significant others."

"Just don't you and Andros start making out with Zhane and Ashley when we have to get together to study for a test," TJ warned playfully. "There's nothing worse than two people more interested in smooching than they are in studying."

Karone smacked her friend on the shoulder. She looked toward the window to see Ashley's van coming into the driveway. She became excited and turned to him.

"TJ, Andros is home!" she yelled.

"All right!" he said and gazed toward the stairs. "Mom, Dad! Andros is home!"

"We'll be down in a minute, son!" Diane called.

TJ and Karone stood up and went to the front door. He unlocked it and opened it, its hinges squeaking slightly. They stepped into the doorway. Andros was getting his roll-on suitcase out of the back of the van. He closed the door with a hard slam. He headed to Ashley and spoke inaudible words to her. He gave her a kiss on the lips. He pulled his suitcase behind him as he made his way toward TJ and Karone, whom both waved at Ashley. The duo saw her wave back to them. They watched her pull out of the driveway and drive off. TJ gave Andros a high-five once his friend got to him and Karone.

"It's good to see you, buddy," TJ greeted.

"It's good to see you, Teej," Andros responded and pulled his suitcase up beside him. He turned to Karone. "Hey, sis."

"Hey yourself, bro," Karone replied sweetly and hugged him. She smiled at him hugging her back. They pulled apart to look at each other. "How was your getaway?"

"It was great," Andros said happily. "Of course, Ashley and I had to deal with someone dialing the wrong number."

Karone shrugged as she titled her head slightly. "We all have to deal with that every now and then."

TJ chuckled to himself. "Come on in. I'm sure you're tired from your trip." He and Karone stepped away from the doorway.

"Definitely," Andros said honestly and walked inside, pulling his suitcase behind him. He stopped next to the coffee table and turned around to see TJ closing the door. "At least the ride home was nice."

Footsteps caught the teens' attention. They looked up to see fifty-year-old Ricky and forty-seven-year-old Diane coming down the stairs. Ricky looked like his son, except he was slightly taller and not as muscular. He had no wrinkles on his face whatsoever. He had a scar extending from the middle of the left palm of his hand to the bottom of it.

Diane smiled at Andros, who responded in kind. She was petite and was lean, though she had some muscle. Her short black hair was in dreadlocks. Her eyebrows were thin, almost invisible. Her eyes were light brown and possessed tiny freckles underneath them. Her face had no wrinkles whatsoever. She and her husband reached the bottom of the stairs. They walked up to Andros.

"It's good to see you home, Andros," Diane said, giving him a hug to which he responded in kind.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Johnson," Andros replied and released his hold on her, as did she on him. They pulled back and looked toward Ricky. "The same goes for you, Mr. Johnson."

"You too, Andros," Ricky responded and ruffled the boy's hair. He laughed at him swatting his hand aside. "What are you trying to, push my hand off my arm?"

Andros tried to stifle a laugh, but he couldn't help himself. "If only that were possible. Anyway, what did you four do all weekend?"

Karone came to her brother's side. "Just hung around, bro."

"Karone and I finished a game of _Sonic 2_ before you got here," TJ said, motioning toward himself and Karone.

"I beat TJ fair and square," Karone said smugly.

"Don't get so smug, Karone," TJ warned. "It'll bite you on the—"

Diane pointed her finger at her son, giving him a disapproving look. "Don't you dare, son."

"Butt. I was going to say butt, Mom," TJ assured, holding up his hands.

"Good," Ricky said, putting his arm around his wife as she put her arm down. "It's crazy when people curse, especially when it's front of young kids." He hissed in annoyance.

TJ put his hands at his sides as he, Andros, and Karone looked at each other. They couldn't help it when they cursed sometimes, especially when they got frustrated. Of course, they tried their best not to do it in Ricky and Diane's presence. They weren't always successful, though. Andros picked up his suitcase by its top.

"I better take this upstairs," Andros said, glancing at the stairs.

"After that, let's go into the kitchen, so you can tell us about your getaway to the cabin," Diane said eagerly.

Andros nodded at her. "Okay."

Andros headed upstairs, singing a scat. He returned two minutes later. He, TJ, Karone, Ricky, and Diane went into the kitchen.

00000

An American robin sat on the Hammond residence's sink windowsill. It ran its beak through its wing feathers. The house was large with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The backyard was surrounded by a chain-link fence. A swing was next to the back door. Two bright orange horseshoe poles were in the middle of the backyard. They were a long distance apart.

The robin stopped running its beak through its feathers and looked inside to see forty-eight-year-old Anna pouring coffee into a mug. She filled it to nearly full and put the kettle back in the coffeemaker. She took a sip, nodding in approval. She resembled Ashley, except she was somewhat taller and possessed a little more muscle. She had few wrinkles on her face.

She looked around the medium-sized kitchen at its bright blue cabinets, white walls, bar with four stools, hardwood table with four matching chairs, and white tile floor. She returned her attention to her mug and sipped more of her coffee. She put it on the counter while smacking her lips.

Just then, forty-four-year-old Ashton walked into the kitchen. He was as tall as Ricky was. He was more muscular than his friend was. His short dark brown hair had a shagginess to it. His dark blue eyes had small scars underneath. His left cheek had a tiny freckle on it. He came up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her temple, and she looked up at him with a smile.

"You just had to come up behind me and kiss my temple, didn't you?" she teased.

"Well, I just felt like doing that. Besides, it's your favorite place to be kissed," he responded, winking at her.

"At least I wasn't pouring coffee into this mug when you did that," Anna said, picking up her mug. "I probably would've spilled it on myself." She winced painfully and put it down. "Spilling coffee on yourself is one of the worst things ever. Not only is it hot, but it leaves a big stain on your clothes."

"Yes, but we have Cheer. It works wonders on get coffee stains," Ashton pointed out and released his hold on him.

"Moreover, we have a great washing machine," Anna commented.

He raised an eyebrow and put his hands on his sides. "Don't forget who bought that washing machine."

She rolled her eyes and turned around. "Of course not."

Ashton pinched Anna's nose before flicking her chin. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet next to the sink and headed over to the refrigerator. He opened it to get the tea. He poured it into his glass until it was halfway full. He put it back in the refrigerator before closing with a loud slam. He took a sip and nodded in approval. He looked toward Anna, who held her mug in her hands.

"I hope Andros and Ashley had a nice time at my sister's cabin," Ashton said with a small smile.

"Me too. Andros is such a sweet boy. Who would've thought our daughter's boyfriend would be from another world?" Anna wondered, taking another sip of her coffee.

"I know," Ashton commented, a light laugh leaving his mouth. "His telekinesis is pretty cool. I couldn't stop myself from laughing when Ashley told us about Karone using her telekinesis to tie Johnny's shoelaces together and him tripping over his feet when he tried to walk away."

"It was about time for someone to give that boy a taste of his own medicine," Anna said bluntly. "Damn. He doesn't get that Ashley is in love with Andros and wants nothing to do with him."

"The best thing about Andros and Ashley's relationship is my mother can't hook her up with some kooky suitor anymore," Ashton said, scoffing in irritation. "I swear, she has tried to hook her up with every guy she has come across."

"How could she do that when she adored Andros the second she met him? The same goes for our fathers. Unfortunately, she is always asking when Andros and Ashley are going to get married and have kids. By God, they're only in high school. They should get through college first before they consider marriage and kids," Anna grumbled with a groan.

"In our parents' day, it was normal to get married and have children in your teens. Now, it's frowned upon," Ashton commented with a heavy sigh. "Then again, you're told you're selfish if you wait until you're older to get married and have children. You're damned if you do. You're damned if you don't."

"It's disgusting," Anna said, shuddering badly. "Moreover—"

Ashton and Anna heard the front door being unlocked. They walked to the doorway to see Ashley opening it and entering the large living room, which had a couch, oak end tables, and a pine coffee table. A TV stood across from the couch, and an armchair was off in the corner. The walls were bright green. The floor had brown carpet. Ashley had her suitcase in her hand. She closed the door behind her. Ashton and Anna made their way toward her.

"Hey, Mom, Dad," Ashley greeted warmly and set her suitcase down. "I'm home."

"Oh, Ashley. It's so good to see you," Anna said in happiness. She and her husband hugged their daughter tightly. They smiled at feeling her hug them back.

"Did you have a nice time at the cabin?" Ashton asked curiously.

"It was great, Dad," Ashley answered, letting go of her parents. She pulled back to look at them. "We did have to deal with someone dialing a wrong number, though."

"Ah. That's no big deal. At least it doesn't happen all the time," Anna assured gently.

"Yeah, but it's still annoying, especially when you're trying to enjoy some alone time with your significant other," Ashley griped.

"You can always leave the phone off the hook. That will stop anyone from dialing a wrong number," Ashton said, ruffling her hair. He flicked her nose twice.

"I could do that at the cabin, but the phone is a cordless one," Ashley muttered dejectedly. "It'll start beeping like crazy if it's left on for too long." She scoffed to herself. "Why do cordless phones have to make such loud beeping noises?"

"It's how they are designed, Ash. There's not anything we can do about it other than turn them off," Anna said, sighing heavily. "Anyway, let's not worry about that. Let's worry about you telling us all about your getaway. I'm sure you're tired from all that driving."

"Very much so," Ashley admitted. "So, what did you do all weekend?"

"We just hung around," Anna answered.

"I see," Ashley whispered. "Anyway, I'm going to take my suitcase upstairs. Then we'll go in the kitchen, so I can tell you about the getaway."

Ashton and Anna gave their daughter thumbs-ups. Ashley picked up her suitcase and walked upstairs. She returned three minutes later. She and her parents went into the kitchen.


	12. Ever So Calm

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twelve of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. I want to let you know that I've changed Johnny's last name to Hernandez. Since he is of Hispanic origin, I thought that would be better suited for him. Stay tuned for chapter thirteen.

XXXXX

Chapter 12: Ever So Calm

At the Johnson residence in the mid-evening, Andros and TJ were sitting on their twin beds while reading their chemistry notes in their notebooks in their room. The room was medium-sized with blue walls, a pine dresser, an oak nightstand, and a TV. A mirror hung on the closet door. Green carpet covered the floor.

TJ mumbled inaudible words and turned to the fourth page. He cupped his chin in his hand. He glanced at Andros, who stretched his arms above his head. Andros let out a long yawn and smacked his lips, lowering them. TJ laid his hand in his lap, furrowing his brow.

"Talk about being tired," TJ said.

"Who wouldn't be after riding in a van for four hours?" Andros said with a shrug. "At least there was little traffic on the way back."

"The traffic can be a nightmare around here sometimes, especially on the interstate," TJ grumbled, an irritated scoff coming out of his mouth. "Why do I get this feeling it will get worse as more people move here due to its balmy climate, low crime rate, and solid job growth?" He swallowed hard.

"We'll just deal with it. That's all we can do," Andros responded honestly.

TJ took a deep breath. "Mm-hmm. Look on the bright side. This city is famous for being the birthplace of the Power Rangers."

"You got that right, dude," Andros said, winking at him. "Just don't expect me to wear a funny-looking Power Rangers costume to entertain kids." He made a funny noise.

"The same goes for me," TJ commented, sitting tall and proud.

Andros laughed quietly. "Good for you."

TJ and Andros shifted their attention back to their notes. They decided to close their notebooks and lay them on the floor. They gazed at each other, raising their eyebrows.

"I'm glad you and Ashley had a great time at her aunt's cabin," TJ said, a happy smile forming on his face.

"Me too. It was so quiet up there, save for the noisy animals," Andros said and howled as if he were a wolf.

"What do you expect when you are surrounded by nature?" TJ asked, holding up his hands.

"At least your parents didn't object to me going back with Ashley for a four-day stay at Christmas. Nor did they object to my going over to her house this Thursday while her parents are staying at a hotel overnight," Andros pointed out and smiled widely. "She was so excited when she called me to tell me that her parents and aunt gave her the okay to return to the cabin with me and that they didn't have a problem with me going over to her house."

"She's a lucky girl. Most parents hate the idea of their daughters being alone with their boyfriends, especially fathers," TJ muttered, rolling his eyes. "I understand them being concerned about their safety, but let them live a little." He let out another irritated scoff. "Sons and daughters should have the same rules, not different ones for each."

Andros nodded in agreement. "Ain't that the truth?"

"Don't say ain't. It's not a word," TJ said in mock anger.

"You just said it," Andros blurted out.

"Only because you made me," TJ responded, narrowing his eyes at him.

"I sure did," Andros commented, wiggling his eyebrows. "Anyway, thanks for looking after my sister while I was gone. I really appreciate it."

TJ couldn't help but smile. "She is a lot of fun to be around, especially when it comes to video games. Who would've thought the girl who was once Astronema and the guy who saved the universe would end up living with my family?"

"I do know one thing. Your parents are really awesome," Andros answered proudly and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Thanks. By the way, you're an awesome roommate," TJ said, giving him a thumbs-up.

"So are you. Just don't stick your thumb up my ass," Andros whispered with a smirk. He hoped Ricky and Diane didn't hear him. The last thing he needed was for them to barge in and lecture him about cursing.

"As long as you don't stick your thumb up my ass," TJ said quietly. He and Andros put their hands in their lap. "I wish we didn't have to go to school tomorrow. Why couldn't we have an extra day added to the weekend?"

"That'd be nice," Andros said, tapping his fingers against his leg. "Look on the bright side." He smiled widely. "Graduation is just seven months away."

"Hallelujah!" TJ yelled in relief. "We won't have to worry about getting up real early every weekday morning. We'll have way more freedom in college." He pumped his fist.

"So true," Andros agreed, laughing delightfully. "You think we'll share a dorm room?" He scratched the back of his neck.

TJ became very thoughtful. "I don't know. It'd be nice."

Andros gave a shrug. TJ looked toward the wall. He placed his hands on his bed and hit it in a rhythmic fashion. He did this for ten seconds before becoming still. He turned to Andros.

"So, what did you and Ashley really do up at the cabin?" TJ asked, a smirk appearing on his face.

"I don't think that's any of your business, TJ," Andros responded seriously.

TJ tilted his head. "Oh, come on." He clapped three times. "Tell me what you two did."

"We just hung out. That's all," Andros replied, crossing his arms. "Please, just drop it."

"Okay," TJ said. "In the meantime, you need a little something from me."

Andros narrowed his eyes at him. "And what's that?"

TJ picked up his pillow and threw it at Andros, who caught it and nearly fell off his bed. He stood up and went over to him. He grabbed it from him as his friend regained his composure. Andros narrowed his eyes, sending it flying out of TJ's hand. It landed on the floor next to the latter's bed.

"I got that pillow away from you before you could hit me with it!" Andros said smugly.

"Lucky you," TJ retorted. "Now, come here!"

TJ grabbed Andros by the arm, pulling him off his bed. He pulled him into a headlock to give him a noogie. Andros wiggled himself free from his grasp. He put TJ in a headlock and gave him a noogie. They heard two toy guns cocking. Andros released his hold on TJ, who stood up straight. They turned around to see Diane, who had on a cowgirl hat and wore holsters at her sides.

"Reach for the sky, boys!" Diane ordered. The boys raised their hands above their heads. She walked up to them while looking them in their eyes. "You boys just committed a serious offense by giving each other noogies. I'm going to have to take you in."

"We didn't mean to do it, Mom! Honest!" TJ cried.

"We were just playing around. Of course, TJ started it," Andros added.

"Maybe I did, but you retaliated," TJ said, appearing offended.

"It doesn't matter who did what," Diane commented. "You're not supposed to give each other noogies! It's curtains for you two! Turn around! Put your hands behind your backs!"

Andros and TJ turned around and put their hands behind their backs. They looked at each other with nervous smiles. Diane pointed her guns at their backs. She placed her fingers on the triggers. She chuckled and pulled the guns back to slip them in their holsters. Andros and TJ faced her. They shook their heads in disbelief.

"You're impossible, Mom," TJ said, making cuckoo sounds.

"And proud of it, son," Diane said with a wink. "By the way, boys, you should be heading to bed soon. You have school tomorrow." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Don't worry. We will," Andros assured.

"Good. If you don't, I'll shoot your eyes out," Diane threatened in playfulness.

"I remember when Dad told me I would shoot my eye out after I said I wanted a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas at the age of nine," TJ said, laughing softly.

"He actually said that?" Andros said, looking at his friend in surprise.

"Yep," TJ answered truthfully. "It was obvious he had been watching too much of _A Christmas Story._ It's still a good movie, though."

"Yes, it is," Diane agreed. "Anyway, good night, boys."

"Good night, Mom," TJ said and kissed her on the cheek. Andros did the same on the other one. They watched her leave. "I'll go brush my teeth, so I don't forget."

"I'll do mine after you finish," Andros said, smiling at TJ giving him a thumbs-up. He watched him leave and picked up the pillow to lay it on his bed. He returned to his and sat down.

00000

At the Hammond residence, Ashley was sitting on her queen-sized bed while talking to Cassie on the phone in her room, which was medium-sized with bright pink walls, an oak dresser, a pine nightstand, and a TV with a VCR embedded into it. A desk, a computer with a cable modem attached to the wall, and a picure scanner were off in the corner. The floor was covered in brown carpet. She laughed as Cassie told her about a prank she played on her mother, Lily.

 _"Mom was so shocked at the springy snakes flying out of the can that she looked like she had jumped six feet into the air,"_ Cassie said.

"I wish I could've been there to see that. I would've laughed so hard that I would've ended up rolling around on the floor," Ashley replied.

 _"That's exactly what happened to me. Mom started laughing too. In fact, she made me get up and tweaked my nose. I made a honking sound, and she joked about my nose becoming a horn,"_ Cassie said, giggling quietly.

"Thank God we and our friends have parents who have a great sense of humor. In _Who Framed Roger Rabbit,_ Roger said you're better off dead if you don't have one," Ashley said honestly.

 _"So true,"_ Cassie responded. _"Anyway, I love that movie. Bob Hoskins was great as Eddie Valiant. The dance he did near the end was so funny, especially when he did those backflips."_

"No denying that," Ashley agreed. "That was my favorite part in the whole movie. What's amazing is how the crew was able to blend live action and animation together. It really looked like humans and toons were interacting with each other."

 _"All of that was done in front of a blue screen. Actions were performed by the live action cast. Then the animation was added in,"_ Cassie commented with much pride.

"Ain't that grand?" Ashley asked.

 _"Hey, you shouldn't say ain't! It's not a word!"_ Cassie scolded in a playful manner.

"Too bad. I'll say it all I want," Ashley said, a smirk crossing her lips. "Ain't, ain't, ain't, ain't."

Ashley heard Cassie blow a raspberry. She removed the phone from her ear and responded in kind. She put it back on and listened to another one from her. She imagined a smirk forming on her best friend's face from that.

"Though I enjoyed my getaway with Andros, I'm glad to be home," Ashley said, sighing in content. "What's really great is we're going back at Christmas. We'll be staying for four days instead of two. My parents and my aunt gave me the okay. So did TJ's parents with Andros. We're getting together at my house this Thursday while my parents are staying in a hotel room overnight. They and TJ's parents don't have a problem with it."

 _"That's great on both fronts. A weekend getaway is nice, but four days is even better,"_ Cassie commented.

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Oh, yeah. I hope we'll have a White Christmas this year. The mountains are always beautiful when they are covered in snow."

Cassie cleared her throat. _"Mm-hmm. Anyway, what did you and Andros really do up at the cabin? I want to hear it."_

"Cassie, that's none of your business," Ashley whispered, seriousness showing in her voice.

 _"Oh, come on,"_ Cassie whined. _"Tell me what you did. Please?"_

"We hung out. That's all," Ashley said calmly yet firmly. "Now, can you please drop it?"

 _"Okay,"_ Cassie muttered, sighing heavily. _"You always have to ruin my fun."_ She started fake crying.

"Turn off the waterworks, Cass. It won't work," Ashley responded, shaking her head.

Cassie groaned. _"All right. I have to say I'm not looking forward to going to school tomorrow."_

"Mondays are the worst," Ashley groaned annoyingly. "I have to drag myself out of bed on those mornings because I really want to sleep in."

 _"At least you have this Thursday to look forward to,"_ Cassie said.

Ashley sighed in relief. "Thank God."

Knocking caught Ashley's attention. She looked toward the door and sighed to herself. She turned back to the phone.

"I have to go," Ashley said, swallowing hard.

 _"Okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow,"_ Cassie responded.

"You too. Bye," Ashley whispered and put the phone on its base. She shifted her attention toward the door. "Come in."

The door opened with a slight squeak, revealing Anna. Ashley smiled at her mother as she came in and closed it behind her. Anna came to her daughter's side.

"Hey, Mom," Ashley greeted.

"Hey yourself, Ash," Anna answered, sitting down on the bed. "Talking about girl stuff to Cassie as usual?"

"Oh, yes. We can't get enough of that," Ashley said with much pride.

"My friends and I talked about girl stuff all the time when we were in high school," Anna commented in happiness. "It just comes naturally." She winked at her.

Ashley propped her head up with her elbow. "It sure does."

"In my day, I saw girls with too much makeup on their faces all the time. They really thought a ton of the stuff would make them look very attractive. It didn't help them one bit," Anna said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You should see some of the girls at school. They look like clowns with all the makeup. I don't make fun of them for it, though," Ashley pointed out.

Anna smiled proudly at her. "That's great. People shouldn't be judged by their appearances. They should be judged by how they act."

"Unfortunately, some people will never see anything beyond what they can see with their own two eyes," Ashley muttered sadly.

Anna nodded in agreement. She could never understand how people were so cruel to those who were different. She always did her best to stand up for those who couldn't, especially if they were children. She saw children as very precious.

"Thanks for approving of Andros coming over on Thursday and my returning to the cabin with him for Christmas. I really appreciate it," Ashley commented sweetly.

"You're welcome. Andros is incredible. Not once did I ever think my daughter would fall for a boy from another world," Anna said in awe.

"It's not exactly something you write home about," Ashley pointed out and raised her eyebrows.

"That's true," Anna agreed. "At least Andros doesn't use his telekinesis to cheat at games or tests." She couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Yeah. Of course, I'm sure he is tempted to do that sometimes," Ashley replied, tensing somewhat.

"Who isn't tempted to cheat?" Anna wondered. "Anyway, I'm going to tell you good night."

"Okay. Good night, Mom," Ashley said and kissed her mother on the cheek.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite, Ashley," Anna responded, kissing her daughter on the forehead. "They hurt."

Ashley tried to stifle a snicker, but she couldn't help herself. Anna stood up and left the room. Ashley rose to her feet and walked to her window. She saw the clouds part, revealing the moon.


	13. Hallway, History, and Cafeteria Lunch

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirteen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and Zhane/Karone. Stay tuned for chapter fourteen.

XXXXX

Chapter 13: Hallway/History/Cafeteria Lunch

Heavy morning rain fell on Angel Grove High School four days later. Ashley made her way through the front doors wielding her umbrella. She opened and closed it four times to get rid of excess water before closing it all the way. She went to her locker, which was located across from the stairs and the top second, and opened it. She saw Cassie making her way toward her locker, which happened to be the top first.

"Good morning, Cass," Ashley greeted.

"Good morning yourself, Ash," Cassie responded and stopped at her locker. She opened it and reached in to grab her chemistry book. A flash of lightning lid up the window at the stairs, followed by a thunderclap. "It's getting bad out there."

"Unfortunately," Ashley agreed and got her calculus book. She put her umbrella inside her locker and closed it with a loud slam. "The rain didn't start getting heavy until I arrived." She huffed quietly as she leaned her shoulder against it. "On top of that, we Californians are lucky if it rains once a year."

"The lack of rain is the only thing I don't like about living in California," Cassie commented. She put her umbrella inside her locker and closed it. "Everything else is great, especially the climate. We can go to the beach in the dead of winter."

"We sure can," Ashley said, laughing in delight.

"You two look gorgeous in bikinis on that beach," a male voice said and chuckled suggestively.

The girls sighed in annoyance and looked at Johnny, who was standing near the trashcan located next to the stairs. He smacked his gum as he approached them, and they showed disgust. He moved Cassie out of the way and braced his hand against her locker.

"Hey there, Ashley. You're looking pretty today," Johnny said dreamily.

"Nice to see you, Johnny," Ashley retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Johnny laughed heartily. "Nice use of sarcasm. You got that from your dad, didn't you?"

"No, I got it from my mom," Ashley retorted with a loud scoff.

"I see. What do you say we go see a movie tonight?" Johnny asked, leaning close to her.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "No way. In fact, I will be busy tonight."

"What will you be doing, washing and styling your hair?" Johnny teased and pulled back.

Just then, Andros came to Ashley's side and put his arm around her shoulder. She looked at him lovingly. He moved his hand down his backpack's strap as it hung over his shoulder.

"Ashley and I will be spending time together at her house tonight," Andros said, hugging her.

"My parents are staying at a hotel overnight," Ashley added, turning back to Johnny.

"You might as well face it. You'll always be out of luck when it comes to women, especially Ashley," Andros said calmly yet firmly.

"Andros is right," Cassie agreed, coming to Andros's side. "No woman wants you because of your conceited attitude. It makes you look so immature, not to mention it's sickening." She made a retching noise.

"Oh, I am mature. I am God's gift to women. I will get that date with Ashley," Johnny insisted.

"Dream on, Johnny-boy," Ashley growled, hints of anger showing in her voice. "It's not happening. Damn. You're worse than Skull ever was when he pursued Kim. At least he accepted they could only be friends."

"He and Bulk have shown more maturity in the last four years than you ever will in your lifetime. You will never grow up," Cassie added bluntly.

"That's what you think," Johnny hissed and walked away. He bumped into TJ without excusing himself as he, Carlos, Zhane, Karone, and Justin came around the corner, which stopped them in the tracks.

"Hey, watch it, you jerk!" TJ shouted irritatingly and watched the boy go upstairs. He and his friends made their way toward Andros, Ashley, and Cassie. They stopped before them. "Let me guess. Ashley turned him down for a date again."

Ashley nodded slowly. "Yep. That butthead needs his ego knocked down quite a few notches."

"Watched _Back to the Future_ again, didn't you, Ash?" Justin asked with a snicker.

"Last night," Ashley commented and looked at Andros. "In fact, I think that'd be a good movie we could watch tonight. What do you say?"

Andros gave her a sweet smile. "I say yes, darling."

Andros and Ashley kissed tenderly. She brought her hand up to his neck, deepening the kiss, which caused TJ, Zhane, Carlos, and Justin to wolf-whistle. Cassie and Karone tried to stifle giggles, but they couldn't help themselves. No one noticed Mr. Kaplan approaching.

"Andros, Ashley, stop with the PDA in the hallway!" Mr. Kaplan shouted as he came to a stop. Andros and Ashley were startled and broke apart quickly. They and their friends looked at him.

"Good morning, Mr. Kaplan!" Ashley replied, laughing nervously as she slipped a lock of hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing in the hallway?" Andros asked.

Mr. Kaplan put his hands behind his back, seriousness in his eyes. "I was just doing a little walk around when I caught sight of your kissing session being witnessed by your friends. By God, you're just as bad as Tommy and Kimberly were when they went here. You need to save your affections for somewhere else."

"We're sorry, sir. We can't help it sometimes. Neither can other couples," Andros apologized, motioning toward his best friend and sister.

"You can't fault them for being in love," Carlos pointed out.

"I understand young love, Carlos," Mr. Kaplan responded, glancing at the boy. "I used to be young myself, but I was never affectionate with my girlfriends at school. It was always at home, at a restaurant, or in a car. Those are appropriate places for being affectionate." He turned back to Andros and Ashley. "School is not. I'm fine with couples holding hands but not kissing or hugging. Please, don't do what you were doing here again, all right?"

"Okay, sir," Ashley said, sighing sadly. Andros removed his arm from her shoulder.

"Thank you," Mr. Kaplan said and looked at his watch. "The bell will ring in a little bit." He shifted his attention back to the teens. "You don't want to be late to your classes and get detention, do you?"

Karone shook her head rapidly. "No, sir."

"Good. You should all get to your classes," Mr. Kaplan answered and licked his lips. "Just remember. If I catch you in the hall without a pass, I will make you do jumping jacks on the spot before I send you to detention." He chuckled lightly.

"We'll remember that, sir," Zhane said, winking at the principal. "You can count on that."

Mr. Kaplan headed down the hallway. The group stared after him until he rounded the corner.

"I like that Mr. Kaplan has a sense of humor, but I don't think he should be so hard on couples," Zhane said, sighing heavily.

"I agree," TJ said, touching the back of his neck.

"At least doesn't tolerate bullies," Carlos said, his voice showing relief.

"Thank God," Cassie whispered, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. "Well, we better get to our classes."

The others voiced their agreement. Andros, Carlos, and Cassie went upstairs. Ashley, Zhane, and Karone headed left. TJ and Justin walked right.

00000

Three students entered Ms. Applebee's classroom in the late morning. They sat at the second, third, and fourth desks in the first row. They set their backpacks on the floor and unzipped them to get their notebooks. Andros and Ashley sat in the first and second desks in the fourth row. She told him about the time that Ray Loughlin placed a frog in her chair in the third grade.

"My scream was so loud that I scared Ms. Gaffney silly and caused her to drop her eraser," she said.

"I bet she was mad Ray played that trick on you," he said and crossed his arms.

"Oh, she wasn't mad. She was furious," Ashley answered calmly yet firmly. "She yelled at him for disrupting the class and sent him to Mr. Harmon's office. He made him apologize to me. It was a nice apology he gave me."

He smiled at her. "That's good."

"Of course, Ray found it embarrassing because he had to do it in front of the whole class," Ashley commented.

"At least it taught him a lesson about playing around in class," Andros pointed out truthfully.

She pointed a finger at him. "That it did. He never played around in Ms. Gaffney's class again."

"I have no doubt you looked cute when you jumped out of that chair, Ashley," a male voice said and laughed raucously.

Andros and Ashley groaned annoyingly and looked toward Johnny, who sat in the first seat in the second row. Johnny waved at them, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Why don't you mind your own business, Johnny?" Andros demanded.

"We weren't talking to you. You shouldn't stick your nose where it doesn't belong," Ashley added, firmness lining her voice.

Johnny turned his nose upward. "I don't care. I'll stick my nose into other people's business as much as I want. Moreover, people adore me, especially women. I am a cool dude."

"Don't stick that nose so high. You'll drown if it starts pouring down rain," Ashley warned sternly.

"On top of that, you're about as cool as a box of nails," Andros added.

"Oh, that hurts. I'm going to start crying," Johnny taunted as he looked at the couple. He wiped fake tears from his eyes while pretending to sniffle.

"Why don't you get lost?" Ashley growled angrily.

"I will if you'll find me," Johnny said with a snicker.

Ashley scoffed loudly. "No, thank you. Besides, I'd rather find Andros when he gets lost." She laid her hands on Andros's shoulders.

"She's got you there, butthead," Andros said, chuckling quietly and moving his eyebrows up and down. "Besides, I'm sure you're looking forward to spending tonight alone."

Johnny mouthed his rival's sentence in a mocking manner. He looked ahead with a loud huff. Andros and Ashley turned to each other, giving shrugs. They looked ahead and laid their hands on their notebooks. The bell rang as the last of the students rushed in and took their seats. Ms. Applebee walked in and closed the door behind her, its hinges squeaking somewhat. She went to her desk, setting her briefcase on top of it.

"Good morning, students," Ms. Applebee greeted.

"Good morning, Ms. Applebee," the students replied eagerly.

The teacher walked to the front of her desk. "We're going to discuss last night's assignment on the beginning of the Roman Empire."

"Oh, joy," Johnny said sarcastically and laughed aloud.

"Oh, button your lip, Johnny," Andros hissed, glaring at the boy.

"I will if you button yours, alien boy," Johnny said, turning to his rival.

Andros balled his hand into a fist. "You better—"

"Andros, Johnny, cut it out right now," Ms. Applebee said in a firm voice.

Andros and Johnny shot each other dirty looks before glancing ahead. Some students snickered, but Ms. Applebee shushed them. She took slow yet even breaths.

"Now, can anyone tell me the first event that marked the transition for Rome from republic to empire?" Ms. Applebee asked. She saw many hands go up. "Ashley?"

"Julius Caesar's appointment as perpetual dictator in 44 BC was that event," Ashley answered eagerly as the students lowered their hands.

"Very nice, Ashley. What was the second event?" Ms. Applebee said. Many students raised their hands again. She glanced at Johnny. "Johnny?"

"Oh, no. I had the answer on the tip of my tongue," Johnny said worryingly. He and the other students put their hands down.

Ms. Applebee sighed. "If you don't remember the answer, I can—"

Johnny laughed and shook his head. "I was just pulling your leg, teach. It was the Battle of Actium in 31 BC."

"That's correct. Don't do that again," Ms. Applebee warned seriously. She really didn't want to deal with Johnny's shenanigans today. She hoped he wouldn't cause any more trouble. "Now, what was the name of the first Roman emperor?"

Many hands went up once more. Ms. Applebee scanned her students until she settled on Andros.

"Andros?" Ms. Applebee said.

"Augustus Ceasar was the first Roman emperor," Andros responded in eagerness. He and their other students lowered their hands. "He was appointed to the position by the Roman Senate in 31 BC and ruled until his death in 14 AD. He was also known as Octavius and was the grandnephew of Julius Ceasar."

Ms. Applebee smiled proudly. "That's right, Andros. You gave a nice bit of information about Augustus."

"Alien boy knows it all," Johnny said mockingly.

Ashley glared at Johnny. "Oh, be quiet, Johnny."

"I will if you go on a date with me, Ashley," Johnny said, turning to her and winking at her.

"Get real, eel," Ashley hissed in anger.

"Why don't you go date a rat?" Andros added, glancing toward Johnny. He felt like going over to Johnny and punching him in between the eyes. Of course, he knew that would get him sent to Mr. Kaplan's office.

"Why don't you dump Ashley and date one yourself? Then I'll be able to have her!" Johnny blurted out.

"Not a chance," Andros growled, his hand balling into a fist.

"Johnny, Andros, Ashley, that's enough. I don't want to hear any more interruptions. Is that clear?" Ms. Applebee asked in sternness.

"Yes, ma'am," the three students answered and looked at their teacher.

"Thank you," Ms. Applebee commented, swallowing hard. Some students laughed, but they grew silent when she cleared her throat. She continued quizzing them.

00000

The cafeteria was filled with many students at noon. Some waited to get their lunches at the two lines located on either side of it. Some left them to seat themselves at one of the ten long tables. The tables had twenty chairs on either side of them. A door was located next to the second line, and it led to an area where students could eat outside, if they wanted to.

Andros stopped at the cashier in the first line. He paid him two dollars for his lunch and was given fifty cents back. He picked up his tray and walked away from him. Ashley paid and received the same amount in both instances. She followed Andros. Two students muttered 'Excuse us' to them as they passed them, getting nods from them. Andros and Ashley saw Zhane and Karone sitting at the sixth table. Zhane and Karone were in the first and second seats on the right. They looked at Andros and Ashley, smiling warmly.

"Hey, you two," Andros greeted.

"Hey yourself, bro. How is your day going so far?" Karone asked.

"It's going great," Andros answered eagerly as he and Ashley set their trays down across from the couple. They slipped their backpacks off their backs and put them over the chairs. They seated themselves. "What about you two?"

Zhane smiled happily. "It's going great for us too, buddy."

"Unfortunately, I was nearly late for fourth period art when the halls got really packed," Karone muttered and cringed somewhat.

"If Mr. Kaplan had caught you after the bell, he could've made you do jumping jacks before sending you to detention," Ashley joked.

Karone emitted a small chuckle. "Better to do jumping jacks than get suspended."

"Or jumping off the walls while jacked up on coffee," Andros added.

The group shared a laugh. Ashley picked up her fork after opening her milk. She poked it into her salad, getting a decent amount on it. She put it into her mouth and chewed it up before swallowing with a loud gulp. She sipped her milk. Karone ate a bit of her apple.

"Despite Mr. Kaplan is strict, he does have a great sense of humor," Ashley commented.

"He sure does, Ash," Karone agreed and swallowed, gulping quietly. "So do our boyfriends."

"As do our girlfriends," Zhane added as he and Andros put their arms around Karone and Ashley.

"Just don't lose them," Andros said and took a deep breath.

"The same goes for you, guys," Ashley squeaked sweetly. "Without laughter, the world would be very dull."

Andros and Ashley kissed lightly, as did Zhane and Karone. The boys let go of the girls. Zhane stuck a fry into ketchup. He twirled it around for a minute before popping it into his mouth. He swallowed after chewing it and picked up another one.

"You want to hear a joke about a fry?" Zhane asked.

"Yeah, sure," Andros answered.

"Count me in," Ashley and Karone said.

Zhane stood the fry on its end. "All right, here it goes. A fry walks into the bar and asks the bartender, 'Hey, could I get a beer?' The bartender says, 'Sorry. We don't serve food here.'"

Andros, Ashley, and Karone started laughing, as did Zhane. They became quiet after a minute. Karone ran her hands through her hair while looking up at the ceiling.

"That is a great joke, Zhane," Karone commented.

"I never heard that one before. Where did you get it?" Andros asked.

"I found it on the internet," Zhane answered and put the fry down. "I also found great knock-knock jokes."

Ashley became very interested. "Could you tell a knock-knock joke you found?"

"Sure," Zhane said with a nodding. "Knock-knock."

"Who's there?" Ashley asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dummy," Zhane responded.

"Dummy who?" Andros wondered.

"Dummy a favor and go away," Zhane answered with a smirk. He, Karone, Andros, and Ashley broke into more laughter. They stopped after a minute.

"That's a great knock-knock joke," Ashley said, sipping more of her milk. "The best one is where you say banana and knock-knock several times before saying orange and orange you glad I didn't say banana."

"I'd have to agree with you on that, Ash," Andros commented.

"Thanks for agreeing with me," Ashley said, glancing at him.

"You're welcome," Andros said, turning to her. He ran his finger up and down her nose. "You're so cute when you agree with me."

Ashley giggled. She turned to her tray and picked up her fork, but it slipped out of her hand and bounced toward the edge of the table. She caught it before it could fall off, sighing in relief. Zhane leaned forward a bit.

"It looks like you had a bit of a slippery fork there," Zhane said, smirking at her.

"I guess so," Ashley replied and ate more of her salad. She took a sip of her milk before exhaling sharply.

"Look on the bright side. It didn't fall on the floor," Zhane said, smiling and leaning back. He picked up his cheese pizza to bite into it. He chewed it up, swallowing with a loud gulp. "You know, I found it astounding this is our senior year of high school. Who would've thought it'd get here so quickly?"

Karone showed thoughtfulness. "Nobody did. Then again, who would've thought you, my brother, and I would be living on Earth permanently?"

"It doesn't matter, sis. We're here now," Andros said, eating a little bit of his hamburger. "Anyway, some seniors are already getting excited about graduation."

"I heard three fellow seniors talking about not having to do homework ever again while I was on my way here. Two were also talking about going to college," Zhane said.

"That's nice to hear, though we're just two months into the fall semester," Andros pointed out.

"Seniors don't care. They are all looking forward to never worrying about high school again," Karone said and folded her arms to lay them in front of her. "I know we are." She chuckled to herself.

Ashley held up a finger. "On top of that, not everyone is cut out for college. The world is always changing. You can never be sure what you will face. I hope we all will make it when we go out in it."

Andros, Zhane, and Karone voiced their agreement. Ashley sipped a little bit of her milk. She ate more of her salad and tapped her fork on her tray three times.

"I feel so fortunate to have a place to call home. Some people don't have that," Ashley whispered somberly.

"I feel sorry for all the homeless families out there. Many of them got there through no fault of their own. They don't deserve to be ridiculed for that," Andros said, sighing in disgust.

Karone showed some anger. "You can be singled out for being the slightest bit different and tormented by your peers. Some people think everyone who isn't like them will be a failure." She curled her hand into a fist so tight that she'd break a glass if she were holding one.

"Just because someone is different doesn't mean they're doomed to failure. Some people with disabilities have gone on to become very famous," Zhane pointed out.

Andros smiled lightly. "That's true. We all have the right to live happy lives."

Ashley, Zhane, and Karone nodded in agreement. They and Andros continued eating their lunch.

00000

The cafeteria was a little less crowded twenty-two minutes later. Andros, Zhane, and Karone laughed in delight. Ashley had been telling them about the time she, TJ, Cassie, and Justin played a prank on Carlos by placing a bucket of water on top of the bathroom door when they came over to his house to hang out. Everyone had already finished his or her lunch and dumped his or her trash.

"Carlos opened the door, and the bucket dumped the water all over him!" Ashley said, moving her hands downward as if they were water.

"He must've been really surprised when that happened," Karone responded, still laughing.

"He was," Ashley admitted. "He couldn't believe we pulled a prank on him. It was the perfect revenge for all the pranks he played on us." She moved her eyebrows up and down.

Zhane smiled. "I do enjoy his pranks. They're harmless fun."

"They're even funnier when they backfire on him," Andros replied.

"You better watch out, Andros. Someone might throw a pie in your face," Ashley joked, clapping twice.

"Whoa!" Andros shouted, pretending to duck. "I think one just nearly hit me!"

"You're so silly!" Ashley giggled.

Andros looked down at his girlfriend. "So are you!"

Ashley kissed her boyfriend's cheek. She took her hand into his to give it a gentle squeeze. He put his other one over hers.

"Tonight is going to be so much fun," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

"It sure will," he agreed. "Remember that I get dibs on the remote."

"No way," Ashley said, shaking her head rapidly.

"Yes way," Andros said, nodding just as fast.

"No way," Ashley growled in playfulness.

"Yes way," Andros commented and ran his finger up and down her nose.

"No way," Ashley said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Yes way," Andros responded and made a weird noise.

"Okay, okay. That's enough," Zhane yelled, waving his hands in the air. "You two are being such a pain in the butt."

"It's a good thing you said butt, Zhane," Karone said and pointed her finger toward the second line. "Look."

Zhane saw Mr. Kaplan talking with a student near it. Andros and Ashley peered over their shoulders at the duo.

"Karone's right, buddy. If you had said you-know-what, Mr. Kaplan would've been all over you for cursing in school," Andros muttered, becoming very tense. He and Ashley turned back to the couple.

"I know," Zhane answered with a nervous laugh. "His hearing is very sharp. He can thank not listening to loud music on headphones constantly for that."

Ashley swallowed hard. "I've read about people becoming deaf from listening to loud music on headphones constantly. Imagine if you could talk, but you couldn't even hear your own voice."

Karone appeared very uncertain. "It would be difficult to live as a deaf person." She fidgeted somewhat. "Not being able to tell people what I wanted since I couldn't hear them would eventually drive me crazy."

"Most people can see that, but you can learn sign language to communicate with them. Lip reading is also a valuable tool for deaf people who can speak. By learning to read lips, they can respond to what is being said," Ashley said, warmth filling her voice.

"Let's not forget that deaf people can learn to 'hear' by feeling vibrations of sounds through the floor," Andros pointed out.

"Beethoven wasn't born deaf, but he became that way as he went through life. He sawed off the legs to his piano and pounded the keys with his fingers while his ear was on the floor to feel the vibrations. This helped him to write his music for his symphonies," Ashley explained.

"That's really neat," Karone replied, winking at her best friend.

The bell let out a loud ring. The students stood up and began to leave the cafeteria. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone grabbed their backpacks and put them over their shoulders. They managed to get through the crowd. Andros and Karone went left while Zhane and Ashley headed right.


	14. Just Hanging Around

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fourteen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just three days to get it out. This chapter has Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, and TJ/Cassie. Some of the veteran Rangers will be making their first appearance in the next chapter. Stay tuned for chapter fifteen.

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Chapter 14: Just Hanging Around

The Surf Spot was quiet in the early afternoon. Adelle grabbed two cups from a table close to the bar and took them to the kitchen to put them in the sink. She returned to the bar with a damp rag. She wiped off the counter from one end to the next. She used a paper towel to dry it off. She threw it in the trashcan and set the napkin holder in the middle. She appeared satisfied with her work.

She looked toward two teen girls sitting at a table near the arcade area. The first girl whispered inaudible words to the second. They broke into a fit of giggles and hit their hands on their knees. She shook her head in disbelief. She placed a stack of cups next to the napkins. She saw Andros, Ashley, TJ, and Cassie walk in. She smiled as they came toward her.

"Hey, guys," Adelle greeted. "Where is the rest of your group?"

"Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin had to stop by the bathroom. They told the rest of us to go ahead," Andros explained. He and Ashley sat on the first and second stools while TJ and Cassie took the third and fourth. They laid their backpacks on the floor. They put their hands on the table. "How are you doing this afternoon?"

"I'm doing well," Adelle said cheerfully. "What about you four?"

"We're all doing fine," Ashley answered and became serious. "Unfortunately, Johnny pestered me for a date as usual. He also caused trouble in Ms. Applebee's class."

Adelle scoffed. "If you ask me, that boy needs a good kick to his butt. He should learn no means no. I blame his parents for his behavior. They constantly praised him on his looks and told him he would be irresistible to women."

"No denying that," TJ agreed.

"Exactly," Cassie added, propping her head up with her elbow.

Andros showed a little anger. "You could also blame his parents for his prejudice toward Zhane, Karone, and me simply because we're from another world. We didn't choose to be born on KO-35." He hissed in frustration.

"There is nothing wrong with being from another world, Andros," Adelle said sympathetically. "It's nice to know intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe."

"Not to mention there are thousands of inhabitable planets," Cassie said in awe.

"You want to go with me to one of those planets to live on, Cassie?" TJ asked, looking at her with a sly smile.

"I will on one condition," Cassie answered, turning to him. "You have to let me fly the spaceship."

"Yeah, right," TJ said sarcastically. "You'd probably crash it."

Cassie elbowed TJ in the arm. He retaliated by doing the same to hers. They alternated between each other for ten seconds before they stopped. Andros, Ashley, and Adelle tried to keep themselves from laughing, but they couldn't. Andros took Ashley's hand into his.

"The best thing about today is my and Ashley's get-together at her house. Her parents are staying at a hotel overnight," Andros said, a big smile showing on his face.

"Andros is coming over at six o'clock. We're going to do lots of stuff," Ashley squeaked happily.

"Isn't that sweet?" Adelle cooed. "Just don't end up stuck together from kissing too much."

"I wouldn't mind being stuck to him," Ashley said, leaning against Andros.

"The same goes for me with you," Andros agreed, slipping his arm around her and giving her a big hug.

Adelle, TJ, and Cassie couldn't stop themselves from smiling. They thought Andros and Ashley were the cutest couple they'd ever seen. They had no doubt their friends felt the same way. Of course, they wished these two didn't have to deal with Johnny.

"I had an unfortunate incident this morning. I fell out of my bed while trying to turn off my alarm clock," Cassie muttered and cringed badly.

"That's a drag, Cassie, but you're not alone. The same thing happened to me when I was in high school," Adelle said with much sympathy.

Cassie looked very shocked. "No way."

"I'm not kidding. In fact, my mother called it a rite of passage to fall out of your bed while trying to turn off your alarm clock during your high school years. She believed it made me feel like a woman," Adelle said with pride.

"It sounds like you had a cool mom, Adelle," TJ said.

"Oh, she was cool. She was into comics a lot. My father didn't approve of them and told me I couldn't read them. She sneaked some to me every now and then. I kept them in a box under my bed," Adelle commented.

TJ appeared a little nervous. "I hope your dad never found that box."

"He never did. I still have those comics my mom gave me. They're in my attic and in very good shape," Adelle said.

Ashley smiled warmly. "It's great you took care of them. Many comics don't last more than six months these days."

"They could be worth a lot of money someday," Andros added.

"Maybe they could, but I have no intention of selling them. They're mine," Adelle declared.

"Good for you," Cassie said proudly.

The teens shifted their positions in their stools. The girls stood up from the table and headed for the exit. They waved to Adelle as they passed. She returned a wave to them. Just then, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin walked in. They approached the bar.

"It's about time you four joined us," Andros said as Zhane took the fifth stool. Karone went to Zhane's side. Carlos and Justin stopped behind Andros and Ashley respectively. The quartet set their backpacks on the floor.

"Were you all doing your hair?" TJ quipped with a snicker.

"No, we weren't, but the lines were a little long," Carlos answered.

Justin shrugged. "That's why using the bathroom took a little longer than usual."

"That stinks," Adelle commented. "If you ask me, you need to toss everyone else out of the bathroom. That'd make the wait shorter." She chuckled mischievously.

"That'd be nice, but we wouldn't throw people out," Justin said, crossing his arms. "Heck, we'd even allow people to go ahead of us if they really needed to go."

"I like that idea better," Adelle answered, winking at him.

TJ stretched his arms above his head. He placed his hands on the counter. He patted it in a rhythmic fashion. He started to sing nonsense. Cassie shook her head in disbelief while looking at him.

"Why are you singing nonsense, TJ?" she wondered.

"Because I like to, Cassie," he answered and sang more nonsense. "You got a problem with that?"

"No, I don't," Cassie responded. "Then again, someone should knock some sense into you." She smirked at him.

"Why don't you do that?" TJ challenged and became still.

"Okay," Cassie said in an evil-sounding voice. She looked at the paper towel roll and turned to Adelle. She gestured toward it, and her friend handed it to her. She hit TJ on the head with it three times. "Did that knock some sense into you?"

"Yes, it did. So would this!" TJ shouted and snatched the roll out of her hand. He hit her on the head with it four times. She pushed his arm aside. She stared him in the eye, looking determined.

"If you do that again, I'll knock you into next year!" Cassie threatened playfully.

TJ set the roll down, letting out a soft growl. "Bring it on!"

"Nah. I like you here right now," she snickered.

"Aw! You're such a party pooper!" he whined.

Cassie smirked, turning her nose upward. "Don't start whining, TJ. It won't get you anywhere."

TJ mouthed Cassie's words in a mocking manner. He pinched her cheek and tickled her nose, smiling at her. She decided to give him a noogie. They, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin gazed at Adelle.

"Not only are Ashley and I getting together at her house tonight, but we're going back to her aunt's cabin for Christmas," Andros said happily.

"It'll be a four-day stay this time," Ashley added.

Adelle smiled at the couple. "That's wonderful. You'll get to do more stuff there than you did last weekend."

"After so many monster attacks, Aunt Raylene would call my parents and me every time we vacationed at her cabin to make sure we were okay. It really annoyed us," Ashley muttered and rolled her eyes.

"You can't blame her for worrying about you and your parents. She didn't want any of you to fall victim to monster attacks," Adelle whispered calmly.

"I know, but she took it too far sometimes. It wasn't like we were going hunting for monsters," Ashley replied.

"That's true, but it's still an aunt's job to worry about her family. The same goes for other relatives," Adelle pointed out.

"Mm-hmm. I do appreciate her concern about us," Ashley said gratefully.

"The same can be said for all of us when it comes to our families," Carlos added. He became a little said. "In some families, relatives couldn't care less about each other. They'll use each other to get what they want."

"Though Andros, Zhane, and I are grateful to our host families for letting us live with them, we do miss our parents and wish they were still alive," Karone whispered dejectedly.

Zhane touched Karone's shoulder, causing her to look at him. "It's hard to lose a parent, but at least your parents loved you and Andros. So did mine with me."

Karone nodded at Zhane, who slipped his arm around her to give her a hug. He kissed her forehead. He released his hold on her before running his hand over her hair. They turned to Adelle.

"Many children don't have parents to love them at all," Zhane commented seriously. "In fact, many parents abuse and neglect their children on Earth and other planets." His face showed much disgust.

"It's terrible parents would want to harm their own children," Karone growled in anger. She appeared as if she were about to be sick.

Adelle showed determination. "Someone should take those parents and beat them to see how they like it. It'd teach them a lesson about treating their children with love and kindness."

"Or not. You won't believe this, but some people think we should start whipping children with belts over every little thing like in the old days. They say parents should be allowed to get away with it. They believe the lack of whippings are the reason why children are out of control these days," Justin said through clenched teeth.

"My parents never whipped me for anything, but they did discipline me. I turned out just fine. I own a business," Adelle responded, motioning toward every part of the place. "I had friends who were whipped, and many were messed up as a result." She scoffed to herself as she laid her hand on the counter. "Whoever said parents should be allowed to get away with whipping children with belts need to have their heads checked. I'm fine with a light spanking on the butt as a last resort, but belt whipping is abuse, pure and simple."

TJ pointed his finger at Adelle. "You got that right."

Adelle winked at TJ. Zhane started tapping two fingers from each hand on the counter. He spread them apart and brought them back together. He got faster until he gave it a hard slap with his hand. Karone smiled at him.

"We should get you a drum set, Zhane. You have great rhythm," Karone suggested.

"I do, don't I?" Zhane responded and placed his hands behind his head.

Andros turned toward his best friend. "Sure. Just don't use my head for a drum!"

Zhane looked at him. "Why not? I think it'd made a great drum!"

Andros blew a raspberry at Zhane, who mimicked him and put his hands on the counter. They alternated between each other until approaching footsteps diverted their attention and that of Ashley, TJ, Cassie, Justin, Carlos, and Karone. They looked over their shoulders to see Veronica coming their way. She stopped next to Ashley, who glanced at her, as did her friends.

"Hey there, guys. Long time no see," Veronica said, her voice laced with much sarcasm.

"What do you want, Veronica?" Ashley demanded.

"Can't I say hi to some friends of mine?" Veronica sneered.

Karone crossed her arms. "We wouldn't be your friends if our lives depended on it."

"A little snippy today, aren't we, Astronema?" Veronica retorted with a snicker. "Are you going to beat me up for calling you that?"

"No, but I wouldn't hesitate to beat you up if you were hurting me," Karone said, hints of seriousness showing in her voice.

"Oh, that's nice," Veronica said. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. You and your friends are still losers because you aren't rich like I am."

"Just because you're rich doesn't make you better than everyone else, Veronica," Cassie said, her eyes showing some anger. "You're such a snob that it's no wonder you're always by yourself."

"Those are strong words coming from an Asian," Veronica leered as she narrowed her eyes at Cassie. "I heard they didn't have sharp tongues."

"We have just as sharp tongues as other people do in this world," Cassie said, taking deep breaths to keep calm.

Veronica huffed and rolled her eyes. "Still, it doesn't make you less of a loser."

Veronica ran her fingers through her hair. On June 20, 1997, she was involved in a serious car accident that broke her right leg into two places and her left arm in one. She was found to have a blood alcohol level of point zero nine, which was just above the legal limit for intoxication. She was arrested for driving under the influence.

With the help of her lawyer father, Jared, she was able to avoid spending any time in jail, though her driver's license was restricted to driving to and from college or place of employment for a year. She began a series of relationships that always ended with her cheating on the man she was dating after she started attending Angel Grove University that August. This earned her an unflattering reputation of being an easy girl on campus.

She smoothed out her white blouse with her hands. She looked toward three teens standing before the surfboard that hung on the wall. She listened to them talk about it with great joy. She scoffed in annoyance and turned to Adelle, who titled her head.

"You need to get rid of that surfboard, Adelle. It looks so stupid hanging on that wall. Besides, you don't want a repeat of it falling off, do you?" Veronica hissed.

"People like looking at the surfboard, Veronica. Andros was just curious about it when he accidentally knocked it off. He'd never seen it before," Adelle said defiantly. "Then again, how can a spoiled brat like you appreciate a wall decoration such as that?" She acted as if she were spitting in the snob's face.

"You may be running a successful business, but you're not making tons of money," Veronica leered.

Ashley hissed in anger. "So what if she isn't? Money doesn't buy happiness or friends."

"Your parents gave you everything, but you've never appreciated them, even when your father helped you avoid jail time for your DUI," Justin said matter-of-factly.

Veronica chuckled humorlessly. "Oh, you're wrong, Justin. I do appreciate my parents. I love them dearly."

"Only because they continue to spoil you rotten," Karone growled.

"Whatever. I will say that Kimberly is the biggest loser of all," Veronica said maliciously. "She could've been the best of all the Angel Girls Club members we were a part of in high school, but she quit just because Aisha wasn't in it. They only got back in after they ousted me. She may have been in the 1996 Olympics, but that doesn't mean she'll be in the 2000 Olympics. She won't amount to anything else."

"With Coach Schmidt's training, Kim will get to the 2000 Olympics. He is one of the finest gymnastics coaches in the world. That's a huge honor for her. You'll end up alone with no one but yourself to blame one of these days. That's what always happens to snobs," Adelle said, her voice filled with firmness.

"That's what you think, Adelle," Veronica replied through clenched teeth as she walked away. "See you later, losers."

The group watched Veronica bump into a boy heading toward the exit as she was on her way to the pool table without excusing herself. He stopped in his tracks and stared after her in irritation.

"Veronica has no sense of civility whatsoever," Ashley hissed as she and the other teens turned to Adelle.

"That girl may be beautiful on the outside, but she is ugly on the inside. Whenever her inner ugliness comes out, it distorts her outer beauty," Cassie said bluntly.

Adelle reached over to ruffle Cassie's hair. "You got that right, Cass." She put her hand on the counter. "There are so many women who are more beautiful than Veronica is that I don't know the number."

"At least we don't have to see her very often since she's in college," Karone pointed out.

"Thank God," Adelle whispered in relief. "Anyway, let's forget about Veronica. Let's hear about a Power Ranger battle."

The others voiced their agreement. Andros started talking about the time he, Ashley, TJ, Cassie, and Carlos fought the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles while the latter were under Astronema's control.


	15. Never Away

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifteen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, TJ/Cassie, Rocky/Aisha, and Adam/Tanya. Stay tuned for chapter sixteen.

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Chapter 15: Never Away

The Surf Spot was a little more crowded forty-five minutes later. Veronica was engaged in pool with a teen girl. Andros, Ashley, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin sat at two tables pushed together near the bar. The first four were at the first table while the last two were at the second. They were chatting about the pregnancy of an Angel Grove Aquarium bottlenose dolphin named Riley. Zhane and Karone played arcade basketball. She was in the lead by a point. The gang's backpacks were under their tables.

"You're going down, Zhane!" Karone shouted and took a deep breath.

"Eat my dust, Karone!" Zhane responded with a look of determination. He made a shot at half-court with four seconds left. She jumped to block it, only to miss it. The basketball went through the hoop as the buzzer rang out. He clapped and laughed victoriously. "The Zhane-man strikes again!"

"You played a great game," Karone said, giving him a high-five as they turned to each other.

"You did too," Zhane replied, winking at her. "Next time, we'll do _Sonic the Hedgehog 2_ at TJ's house."

"You're on. You better watch out because I'm an expert at that game," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"That doesn't scare me!" he said confidently. She punched him in the shoulder lightly. He took her ponytail and smacked her in the cheek with it. He felt her swat his hand away and got his nose tweaked by her. He flicked her chin, and she smiled at him. "You look so cute when you smile."

She blushed somewhat, but it was enough to make her face red. "Thanks. So do you."

He smiled. "Thanks. Of course, I have the nicer smile."

"No, you don't," Karone said, shaking her head as the redness faded from her face.

"Yes, I do," Zhane replied while nodding. He kissed her forehead before tapping her nose. She touched his shoulder, and he slid his hand over hers and squeezed it gently. "Let's head over to the gang. What do you say?"

Karone nodded at him. "Okay."

Zhane and Karone made their way over to their group. They heard Carlos talk about Riley's calf possibly taking on her playful personality as they stopped next to TJ.

"You guys just can't stop talking about Riley, can you?" Zhane asked.

"How can we? It's exciting that she is just three months away from giving birth to her first calf," Carlos answered as he and his friends looked up at the couple.

Cassie's face beamed with joy. "She's going to make a great mom. All that babysitting Tawny has helped her prepare for motherhood."

"Just don't complain when that calf spits water on you during one of our visits to the aquarium," TJ said, glancing at Cassie.

"I think it will spit water on you first," Cassie retorted, giving him a mock glare.

TJ laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, right."

Cassie blew a raspberry at TJ, who responded in kind. They alternated between each other for twenty seconds before stopping. Zhane and Karone seated themselves beside Justin.

"All I can say is talking about the upcoming birth of a dolphin is far better than talking about not knowing when our enemies would make their next move," Carlos muttered, hints of fear showing in his voice.

"It was always frustrating being unable to predict their next move," Cassie whispered with a loud wince.

"I hated having to be patient, but I had to. A villain wouldn't pop up just like that," Justin added, propping his head up with his elbow.

TJ folded his hands and laid them on the table. "That held true if the villain was smart." His body became somewhat tense. "A smart villain is much more dangerous than a powerful one is."

"So true," Andros agreed, sighing heavily.

Karone showed a bit of guilt. "I wish I could've fought harder against the evil in me. Perhaps I could've—" She choked back a sob.

"Sis, nobody blames you for what happened. That was Dark Specter's doing," Andros assured in a gentle manner.

"What matters is you're alive and here with your family and friends on Earth," Zhane said, touching his girlfriend's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. "We'll always be here for you."

"Thanks," Karone said, looking at her boyfriend. She slid her hand over his, giving it a gentle pat. She saw him wink at her and give her a small smile.

"Now, give me that smile of yours I love," Zhane insisted. She shook her head, which made him laugh. "Come on! Don't be shy!"

Karone didn't want to, but she managed to crack a smile. Zhane laughed again and gave her a big hug before kissing her temple.

"Now, there's your beautiful smile!" he blurted out happily.

"Oh, hush!" she mumbled, her face turning so red that she appeared to be a cherry.

Zhane smirked widely. "That's the second time you've blushed today."

"Only because you keep saying flattering things about me!" Karone growled in playfulness.

"You deserved to be flattered! You're one of the nicest girls I've ever met," Zhane said and ruffled her hair. He laughed at her swatting his hand aside. "I guess you don't want me messing up your hair."

"No, but I'm sure you don't want me messing up yours!" Karone shouted, ruffling his hair. She felt him push her hand aside. The redness was gone from her face. "At least we're even now." She smirked.

"At least we're even now," Zhane said mockingly.

"Are you mocking me?" Karone asked, balling her hands into fists and putting them on her sides.

"Are you mocking me?" Zhane replied, raising an eyebrow.

Karone made a mean face. "Are you aware you're in the Surf Spot?"

"Are you aware you're in the Surf Spot?" Zhane commented.

"Stop it," Karone hissed and crossed her arms.

"Stop it," Zhane said and broke into a fit of laughter. He hit his hand on the table three times.

"You're impossible, Zhane," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I know you are, but what am I?" he teased. He got a smack on the shoulder from her. "Look on the bright side. We still get along wonderfully." He winked at her.

Karone squeaked gleefully. "So true."

Zhane and Karone kissed tenderly and rubbed noses. TJ pointed his finger down his throat, making gagging sounds. He stopped when Cassie elbowed him in the arm. Yelling caught the group's attention. Everyone looked toward the pool table to see Veronica and her opponent arguing.

"I should've been the one to get the eight ball in!" Veronica shouted angrily.

"You're just bitter because I managed to get it in before you could," the girl retorted. "Talk about a sore loser."

"The real loser here is you," Veronica sneered, narrowing her eyes at her.

"I don't think so," the girl said, growling softly. "Now, pay me the ten bucks you owe me from our bet."

"Fine," Veronica growled and reached into her pocket to get her wallet out. She opened it and grabbed two five-dollar bills. She threw them in the girl's face in which they landed on the floor. "Go buy yourself a foot-long sandwich at Subway. I bet a fat girl like you would love one."

Veronica closed her wallet and slipped it back into her pocket. She gave the stick to the girl and stomped toward the exit. Andros, Ashley, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, Zhane, and Karone watched her pass them. She bumped into Rocky as he, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya came in without excusing herself, causing them to stop in their tracks.

"Hey, watch where you're going, Veronica!" Rocky shouted annoyingly. He, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya made their way over to their friends. "Let me guess. Veronica lost a game of pool."

Ashley sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, she did, Rocky. If you ask me, someone needs to teach her a lesson on sportsmanship."

"You said it, Ash," Andros agreed, putting his arm around her. He planted a kiss to her forehead. "Unfortunately, she'll never learn."

"That's the truth," Aisha said matter-of-factly. "Anyway, it's nice to see you all of you."

"It's nice to see you, Rocky, Adam, and Tanya, Aisha," Cassie said sweetly. "How's college?"

"It's great," Adam answered happily. "There's nothing better than having the freedom to wander around campus without having to be in bed by a certain time." He pumped his fist.

Rocky smiled with great pride. "And all the great food we can eat!"

"Watch yourself, Rocky. You ate just a little over two hours ago," Aisha warned with playfulness. She flicked his chin.

"Hey, I can't help it, Sha. My metabolism is so high that I have to eat every two to three hours," Rocky pointed out and gave a shrug.

"Maybe I should put a quarter in you and see if a bag of Doritos pops out," Aisha quipped, snickering under her breath.

"I think you should," Rocky answered and slipped his arm around her. "Make sure you have another quarter, so you can get a pop tart."

Aisha slapped her boyfriend on the shoulder, getting a slap to the back of her head from him in retaliation. She returned to Angel Grove in August 1996 after she finally found a cure for the plague that was ailing the animals living near Ashalla's village. She and Rocky started dating that October. Adam and Tanya followed suit a month later. The couples went on double dates occasionally.

On December 19, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya were involved in a drunk driving crash while they were on their way to a Backstreet Boys concert. The driver ran the red light and slammed into Rocky's dark red Chevy van as he was going through the green light at an intersection. Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya escaped miraculously with only minor injuries. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence after his blood alcohol level was found to be twice the legal limit. He had his license restricted to driving to and from work for a year and was sentenced to two days in jail.

Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya started attending Angel Grove University in August following their high school graduation. Rocky decided he wanted to get a teaching degree. Aisha set her heart on getting one in veterinary medicine. Adam and Tanya looked into getting degrees in creative writing, though they were looking into others.

Rocky grabbed Aisha's chin and moved her head from side to side. He made funny noises. She grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand off. She curled it into a fist and hit him with it twice. He pulled it out of her grasp. He picked up two of her braids to stand them up. Adam couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"Now, you are an alien, Sha," Adam joked and wiggled his eyebrows.

"You make a damn cute one," Tanya added, giving a thumbs-up. "Of course, Adam makes for a cuter alien." She turned to him, seeing him blush somewhat.

"Oh, stop, Tanya!" Adam muttered, trying to hide his face behind his hands. Unfortunately, he didn't have much luck.

"Well, it's true. You'd make the cutest little alien," Tanya cooed and pinched his cheek. She spoke baby talk. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand off.

"If you want me to be an alien, then you have to be one too," Adam said, the redness fading from his face.

"I'm more than willing to," Tanya squeaked and kissed him on the cheek. She rubbed the same spot before glancing at the high schoolers. "Anyway, how's high school treating you all?" She smiled warmly as Rocky let go of Aisha's braids.

"It's treating us well, Tanya," Karone responded, happiness radiating from her face. "I can't wait for graduation to be here."

"The same goes for all of us. Until then, I'm going to enjoy my and Ashley's get-together at her house tonight. Her parents are gone for the night," Andros said, hugging Ashley.

"Aw. That's sweet," Aisha cooed. "I hope you two do lots of kissing. " She made kissing sounds.

"We're planning on that," Ashley responded, leaning into Andros's embrace. "We did some of that at my aunt's cabin last weekend."

Tanya appeared very shocked. "Your parents actually let you go to a cabin alone with your boyfriend?"

"Yes, they did, Tanya," Andros answered truthfully. "In fact, we're going back for Christmas. It'll be four days instead of just two." He hugged his girlfriend a little tighter.

"You lucky lovebirds," Aisha squeaked cheerfully.

Justin pointed his finger in the shape of a gun. "Yep, yep, yep."

The others couldn't help but laugh raucously. They stopped when Adelle came up to them with a cup in her hand. They and Justin gazed at her.

"You guys better quiet down before you laugh yourselves out of the building," Adelle joked.

"Don't worry, Adelle. We won't," Aisha assured and winked at her. "It's nice to see you."

Adelle formed a warm smile on her face. "It's nice to see you, Rocky, Adam, and Tanya, Aisha. Is college treating you well?"

"Very much so. By the way, could you get me a small order of fries? I'm a little hungry," Rocky responded, rubbing his stomach.

"No problem, Rocky," Adelle commented with a nod.

"His hunger never ends, does it, Adelle?" Aisha laughed.

"Nope. Look on the bright side, Aisha. He's not a fat pig," Adelle pointed out.

Adam nodded in agreement. "So true."

"With a capital T," Tanya added.

"Yeah. Anyway, I'll go get those fries started," Adelle said and headed to the kitchen while singing nonsense.

"Hey, Adam. How about a game of pool?" Carlos asked, looking at Adam.

"That's a good idea. The loser has to buy the winner a drink," Adam challenged.

"You're on," Carlos said, rising to his feet. He and Adam walked over to the pool table.

"Cass, what do you say we play arcade soccer?" Aisha said, looking toward Cassie.

"I say let's do it," Cassie replied eagerly. She jumped to her feet and went with Aisha to the arcade area. "I bet I'll…"

Rocky and Tanya looked at each other with shrugs as Cassie talked with Aisha. He took Carlos's chair while she claimed Cassie's. They started talking about college life with Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, and Justin.


	16. Wanting to be Together

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixteen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I thought I'd tell everyone that my Power Rangers fics that feature Andros and Karone will have them as twin siblings. She is younger than he is by five minutes. That's the reason why she is in the same grade as he is. I made a change in chapter nine where Andros offers to cook breakfast for supper when he comes over to Ashley's house instead of the other way around. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter seventeen.

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Chapter 16: Wanting to be Together

Andros flipped the first of four fried eggs over with a spatula in a skillet in the Hammond residence's kitchen in the early evening. He did the same with the other three. He moved the skillet back and forth. He laid his hand on the counter and started tapping his fingers on it. A plate of bacon sat on the counter next to the stove. So did a tea-filled glass.

Ashley set two plates next to each other on the table. She put the silverware in their proper places. She slipped napkins under the forks. She got a glass from the cabinet next to the sink. She walked to the refrigerator and opened it to get the apple juice. She filled her glass to more than halfway. She put the juice away and closed the refrigerator. She sipped it. She looked toward her boyfriend, who gave her a sweet smile.

"You were so sweet to offer to cook breakfast for supper. Best of all, you did it while we were taking a bath at the cabin," she squeaked in joy.

"It was the perfect opportunity to ask, so I did," he said with a light chuckle. He pushed two of the eggs back a little bit.

"I'm cooking dinner for you the next time you come over when my parents are gone," Ashley said seriously.

"That's fine with me," Andros responded. "Just don't flip whatever you cook on the ceiling."

She set her juice on the counter next to the refrigerator and walked over to him. "I won't."

He put the spatula down. "Good. If you do, I will honk your nose and pull your underwear over your head."

"Come on. Do it," Ashley growled in playfulness.

"No, I'll do this instead," Andros said and took hold of her cheeks. He kissed her passionately. She moaned quietly while slipping her arms around his neck. Their tongues fought for control. They broke apart for air, breathing deeply. "Maybe your parents will catch us asleep on the couch while a movie is playing when they come home on the night you cook dinner for me."

"That'd be nice. They could take another picture and say how cute we looked," she squeaked, flicking his chin.

"Let's pray they don't catch us making out then. That will shock them!" he exclaimed.

Ashley sighed heavily. "It's bound to happen sooner or later. The same goes for our families and friends learning about us being sexually active."

"Yes, but I don't care. I don't regret expressing my sexuality," Andros whispered firmly.

"Me neither. Sexuality is part of human nature. It shouldn't be suppressed in the least bit," Ashley said.

Andros took a deep breath. "No, it shouldn't. Unfortunately, there will always be people who think it's terrible and should be suppressed at all times."

"Maybe so, but I will never regret losing my virginity to you," Ashley commented proudly.

"I will never regret losing my virginity to you either," Andros answered.

The lovebirds shared another deep kiss and hugged tightly. They stayed this way for fifteen seconds before breaking apart. He looked at the stove and checked the undersides of the eggs with the spatula. He saw they were done and switched the burner off. He gazed at her.

"You can get the bacon while I take the eggs to the table," Andros said.

"Sure," Ashley said, winking at him.

He brought the skillet to the table and slid two eggs on each of the plates with the spatula. He went back to the stove to place it on another burner. He laid the spatula in it. She grabbed her juice and the bacon. He got his tea. They went to the table, sitting down with loud grunts. They laid their drinks down and put salt and pepper on their eggs. They got two pieces of bacon each. She cut a piece of her egg. She popped it into her mouth and chewed it up before swallowing with a loud gulp. She nodded in approval.

"Nice job on the eggs, Andros," she said proudly.

"Thanks, Ash," he replied. "It's fun to cook eggs. The downside is they are gooey when they come out of their shells and when you pour them scrambled in a skillet." He broke off a piece of his bacon and put it in his mouth. He proceeded to chew it.

"Unfortunately," Ashley said, sighing quietly. "What's interesting is a chicken lays one egg every twenty-four hours."

"If a chicken were to lay twelve eggs, it'd take twelve days for it to lay them all," Andros pointed out and swallowed with a quiet gulp.

Ashley laughed. "That's right! In cartoons, chickens can lay all their eggs in one day. I wish that could happen."

"So do I, but this isn't a cartoon. It's real life," Andros pointed out.

"Maybe it is, but it's always fun to imagine real life as a cartoon," Ashley said and wiggled her eyebrows.

Andros smiled at her. "So true."

"I used to imagine people who treated me badly dressed as villains from my favorite movies and TV shows. It gave me a sense of comfort," Ashley commented truthfully.

"I never did that as I spent most of my time playing outside. When I wasn't playing, I was learning about navigational systems and planets to prepare for life as a Power Ranger," Andros said.

"That's interesting," Ashley said in awe.

"Yeah. It paid off as I became a Ranger at fifteen years old," Andros said with much proudness.

Ashley chuckled. "Good for you."

She pinched his cheek gently. He kissed her on the forehead. She returned the favor to his. He took her hand into his, giving it a light squeeze. She put her other one over his.

"We're so lucky to be together right now," Andros said, love radiating from his voice.

"You said it. When my parents told me they were staying at a hotel overnight, I just had to reveal it to you," Ashley said, pressing her lips together.

"Of all places you could've told me, it ended up being in a cabin's bathtub," he said, chuckling to himself.

"Hey, I could've done that hanging upside down from the tree closest to the balcony," she quipped with a snicker.

"I wouldn't have minded that," Andros said, smiling widely. "You'd look so cute hanging upside down."

"So would you," Ashley murmured, pinching his nose. They kissed and pressed their foreheads together. "Anyway, I'm so glad that you're here. I don't want you to leave at all."

"I don't either, but I can't miss my curfew," Andros pointed out with a heavy sigh. "We'll just have to savor our time together."

"I know. At least your curfew is over three hours away," Ashley said in relief.

"Ditto," Andros agreed. They kissed and hugged each other. They pulled apart and resumed eating their dinner.

00000

Andros scrubbed a plate with a sponge in soapy water twenty-six minutes later. He got it clean and rinsed it off. He gave it to Ashley, who put it in the dishwasher's bottom. He cleaned up the spatula and handed it to her. He watched her slip it in the dishwasher's top. He got the skillet and started to scrub it.

"You are the sweetest guy. First, you cook dinner for me. Then you offer to help me with the dishes," Ashley said.

"I'd rather be doing something than sitting in the living room watching TV. Besides, it takes longer for one person to do the dishes than it does with two people," Andros said.

She formed a small smile on her face. "Isn't that the truth?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Thanks for not saying ain't. So many people say that word that it isn't funny." He made a funny noise.

"Hey, you just said it," Ashley pointed out with a snicker.

"Maybe I did, but it was just to make a point," Andros replied in seriousness.

"Well, ain't isn't a word. I ain't going to say it," Ashley said in a singsong voice.

"Don't say that again. I'm warning you," Andros said playfully.

"I'll say it all I want," Ashley declared and blew a raspberry. "Ain't, ain't, ain't, ain't, ain't."

Andros hissed in mock anger. "Okay. You asked for it."

He put the skillet down and washed the soapsuds off his hands. He went over to her and pulled her into a headlock. He gave her a noogie, growling as if he were a bear. She wiggled herself free from his grasp. She started knocking on his head.

"Hello, anybody home?" she asked.

"There is no one here but Mr. Brain," he answered in a deep voice.

Ashley smiled and ceased her knocking. "I'm glad he's there. Some people have brilliant minds, but they refuse to use them."

"I know," Andros muttered sadly. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

"Veronica is using her brilliant mind to become a lawyer, but she's not becoming one to get justice for crime victims. She's becoming one for the money," Ashley said with a scoff.

"Just like her father did when he went to college. Her family is so obsessed with keeping up with the Joneses that it's disgusting," Andros said, cringing badly.

"Yep," Ashley agreed. "They think having a bunch of material possessions makes them better than everyone else is." She hissed angrily. "Material possessions make you happy only temporarily."

"Someone should rip off the newest possession she says her parents got her and throw it in her face," Andros commented seriously.

"Oh, yes," Ashley said with a sharp nod. "It's more than likely I will make a lot of money as a fashion designer, but I won't be doing it for that. I will be doing it because I love to make clothes."

Andros cupped her chin in his hand. "That's a much better reason for a career."

He kissed her tenderly. She put her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. He encircled her waist with his. They moaned into each other's mouths, their tongues fighting for control. She moved her hands downward and slipped them under his light blue t-shirt. She traced her fingertips up and down his back. He broke the kiss.

"As much as I want to keep kissing you, we should get that skillet into the dishwasher," Andros whispered.

"Okay," Ashley said with a nod.

He returned to the sink and grabbed the skillet. He cleaned it off and gave it to her, and she put it on the bottom. She filled the compartment with dishwashing soap and closed the dishwasher. She turned it on and watched him drain the sink. He washed the soapsuds off his hands and gave her a high-five.

"Great teamwork once again," Andros said.

"It's always fun working on a team with you," Ashley said and pointed her finger as if it were a gun.

"Don't point that finger at me. It might go off," Andros responded, holding up his hands.

"Okay. I won't," Ashley commented and pointed her finger upward. She made a gunshot sound. He sighed in relief.

"It's good you did that," Andros said, clearing his throat. "I thought you'd really shoot me."

"Don't worry. I won't," Ashley whispered, smiling mischievously. "Then again, maybe I will."

She pointed her finger at him and made another gunshot sound. He clutched his chest, groaning loudly. He stumbled backward a little bit. He fell to his knees before ending up on his back. His legs and arms spread out eagle style. He twitched before ceasing all movement. He closed his eyes. She came to his side and leaned close to him. All of a sudden, he sprung to life and grabbed her arms. He pulled her on top of him. She smacked him in the chest in mock annoyance.

"You're so mean, Andros!" Ashley yelled and emitted a loud hiss.

Andros let go of her and put his hands behind his head. "I'm proud to be mean. In fact, I'm the king of mean."

"What you're really king of is telekinesis," Ashley said truthfully and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I guess I am, aren't I?" Andros asked, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Yes. So, are we going to watch _Back to the Future_ like we told the others at school?" Ashley wondered.

"We could, but I was thinking we could do something else," Andros murmured honestly.

Ashley furrowed her brow. "And what's that?"

All of a sudden, Andros flipped Ashley over on her back. He got in between her legs and kissed her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning pleasurably at his tongue touching hers and tracing every inch of her mouth. Electricity flowed through their bodies at a rapid rate. Their hands wandered everywhere. He trailed kisses to her neck and nuzzled it. He licked at it before sucking on it. She couldn't stop a whimper from leaving her mouth.

He slipped his hand underneath her pink blouse. He fondled her breast before squeezing it. She tensed up a bit, but she relaxed quickly. She felt him capture her lips in a possessive kiss. She pushed her tongue past his lips, touching his. She heard him moan in pleasure. He moved his hands to the top button on her blouse. He was about to undo it when she grabbed his wrists. He broke the kiss, looking at her with concern.

"What's wrong, Ash?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong, except I don't want to make love on the kitchen floor. I think my room would be a better place for that," she answered.

He nodded at her. "Okay."

Andros stood up with a loud grunt. He took Ashley's hands and helped her to her feet. He pulled her toward him and let go of them. He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her in great passion. She pulled away from him before taking his hand. She led him through the living room and up the stairs.


	17. In Bed, Phone Call, and Silence

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventeen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. I can't believe I've gotten over one hundred reviews. I want to thank Alex B Goode for being the one hundredth reviewer. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, katxox, TommyOliverMMPRFan, Ghostwriter, and brankel for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, don't hesistate to review this fic. I'd love to see what ideas you might have for it. It will take only a few minutes of your time. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. It also has sexual content. As before, don't read it if it makes you uncomfortable. Other than that, read it at your own risk. Stay tuned for chapter eighteen.

XXXXX

Chapter 17: In Bed/Phone Call/Silence

Andros had Ashley pinned against the door of her room while kissing her passionately four minutes later. They wrapped their arms around each other, and their tongues wrestled fiercely for control. Their hearts pounded so hard against their chests that it seemed they would leap out and land on the floor any second. The bed's comforter was pulled down.

He trailed his lips to his girlfriend's jaw. He nuzzled it before planting kisses along it. He made his way down to her neck, stopping at the pulse point between it and her shoulder. He licked at it. She tilted her head to the side and let out an ecstatic moan. She got a little louder when he started sucking the same spot. She took hold of his shoulders. She gripped them so tightly that it appeared she would tear his tan t-shirt.

He reached down to grab the hem of her blouse. He pushed it up to her breast line and dropped to his knees. She leaned her head back. She sighed in delight as he kissed her stomach. Her breathing was reduced to shudders when he ran his tongue over her navel. She touched his head to run her fingers through his hair. He slipped his hands underneath her blouse and squeezed her breasts.

"Oh, that feels so good," Ashley groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. She whimpered excitedly at her boyfriend fondling her breasts. "Oh, shit. Oh, God."

Ashley opened her eyes. She tapped Andros's head gently to get him to stand up. She kissed him with great passion once he was at his full height. Her hands moved up underneath his t-shirt. They traced every muscle that lined his back, chest, and stomach. He groaned in much intensity. He ripped open her blouse. She was glad she chose to wear it since it had clasp buttons instead of regular ones. She wouldn't risk her parents finding out about what she had been up to.

He took off her blouse and threw it over his shoulder, not caring where it landed. She grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it upward. He broke away from her and raised his arms, allowing her to remove it. She tossed it aside. He reached down and unbuttoned her blue jeans. He undid the zipper and pushed them down. She stopped him and took them off herself. She unbuckled his belt before unbuttoning and unzipping his tan pants. She pushed them down. He stopped her to remove them himself.

He put his hands under her armpits and lifted her upward. He felt her wrap her legs around his waist as well as her arms with his neck. He carried her to the bed and laid her down. She unwrapped her legs from around his waist. He settled in between them, balancing his weight on his elbows. He looked down at her with a lustful expression in his eyes. He leaned toward her neck, smothering it with hungry kisses. He alternated between licking and sucking on it. She gasped in great pleasure as she grabbed at the sheet. He kissed his way to the valley between her breasts. He buried his face there to lick at it. She let out another pleasurable gasp.

Ashley felt Andros kiss down to her stomach. She closed her eyes when he dipped his tongue into her navel. Her breathing turned to shudders. He returned to her lips. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, smiling against it at her moaning in delight. His hands wandered all over her body. The skin broke out in goosebumps. She opened her eyes. She flipped him over and pulled away from him. She gazed deep into his eyes, allowing a smile to cross her lips. He smiled back at her.

"You just love flipping me over, don't you?" he asked with a light chuckle.

"Yes, I do," she responded huskily. "Now, shut up, so I can kiss you."

Ashley leaned down, kissing Andros very hard. Her tongue touched his and fought with it. She planted a trail of kisses toward his neck. She ran her hands up and down his body very slowly. He sighed in ecstasy while running his fingers through her hair. She kissed his way down to his chest. She licked at the spot over his heart. He was unable to keep a moan from coming out of his mouth.

She captured his lips in a possessive kiss. She rubbed his nipples against her palms, hardening them to her touch. She brought her lips to the left nipple, taking it into her mouth. He growled intensely at her sucking on it hard. His back arched greatly. He squeezed his eyes shut, grabbing at the sheet. His growl got even louder when she rolled his nipple with her tongue. Fire started to build in his veins, as did it in hers.

She turned her attention to the right nipple and gave it the same amount of attention. He opened his eyes and let out an intense moan, his head rolling back into the pillow. His grip on the sheet got even tighter. He touched her head, bringing it upward for a long, hard kiss. The tongues engaged in a dance, and they hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

Andros groaned in frustration when Ashley broke away from him. She smiled wryly at him and reached behind her. She undid her black bra and took it off slowly. He chuckled, knowing she was teasing him. She threw it aside once she got it off. He stared at her breasts with such intensity he appeared ready to go after them with his mouth, but he didn't want to do that. He sat up and kissed her neck. He put his hands on her breasts, running his thumbs over the nipples, which hardened at his touch. She felt her body tense up. She couldn't stop a gasping moan from leaving her mouth.

He trailed kisses to her chest and took the right breast into his mouth. He sucked on the nipple after wrapping his tongue around it. She screamed in pleasure while throwing her head back. Her back arched as her boyfriend ran his hands up and down her sides. He turned toward the left breast and lavished it with the same amount of attention. A whimper came out of her mouth, her back making another arch.

"Oh, my Andros," Ashley cried in great ecstasy.

Andros groaned. "Yes, my Ashley. Yes."

She touched his head to bring it upward for a kiss. She pushed him back down. Her tongue entered his mouth and tasted every inch of it. He grabbed fistfuls of hair, letting out a soft moan. She had to smile into his mouth. She pulled away from him and glanced down at his green boxer shorts. She could see his erection poking through them.

Ashley took hold of the waistband and looked at Andros, getting a nod from him. She pulled his shorts and white underwear off, which allowed his erection to spring free. She climbed back on top of him, kissing him once more. She reached down and grabbed his cock. She stroked it gently, earning a soft groan from him.

She twisted her hands around his cock. She went slowly at first, but her motions increased in speed. He let out a loud groan. She began pumping him. He growled with so much intensity that he appeared ready to lose it. His hands flew above him, grabbing the headboard. He tore away from the kiss, lost in his passion. He returned to it.

"Oh, God. Ashley!" Andros groaned. She smiled into the kiss and explored every inch of his mouth with her tongue. He began bucking up against her. He moaned his need. "You've got to stop. I've got to be inside you right now."

"Then enter me, Andros," Ashley whispered seductively. "Make love to me."

Andros flipped Ashley over on her back. He looked down at her blue underwear. He felt tempted to rip it off, but he wasn't going to do that. He grabbed the waistband and pulled it down her legs in a slow manner. She giggled as she could tell he was teasing her. He got it off, throwing it over his shoulder. He positioned himself at her entrance. He slid inside her until he was sheathed to the hilt. He stayed still, so he could savor being there.

He started moving in and out of his girlfriend, who moaned with every thrust as she lifted her hips in meeting each one. Their grunting and groaning seemed to mingle together, but they didn't care. They were happy to be together in such an intimate way. Their lips sought out each other while their hands wandered everywhere. His body tightened with each thrust. He planted kisses along her jaw, listening to her soft moans.

He moved between sucking on and kissing her neck. The skin tingled beneath his lips, and his hands squeezed her butt hard. His lips went to her ear, and he nibbled on it gently. She whimpered when he touched her breasts. She became a little louder at him pinching the nipples. An ecstatic scream came from her lips when he took a nipple into his mouth and rolled it with his tongue. Her boyfriend repeated his actions with the other.

Andros pulled away from Ashley's chest. He sat up and jerked her into his lap. He kissed her hard as he grabbed at her hair. She wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning excitedly at him thrusting upward into her. She leaned her head back when he planted butterfly kisses on her neck. He traveled to her pulse point to give it a hard bite, making her cry out in pain. She gave him another kiss on the lips after bringing his head upward. She kissed her way to his ear to nibble on it. He groaned loudly while laying his hands on her shoulders.

She captured his lips in another hard kiss. She unwrapped her legs from around his waist and balanced herself on her knees. She pushed him down. Her tongue entered his mouth and fought with his. She began moving up and down on him. He grabbed her hips, moving her on him as he met her movements with his. She planted a trail of kisses down to his chest. She rolled his nipples in her hands, earning a throaty groan from him. She took one of them into her mouth. She sucked on it hard. He growled intensely, anchoring her head to him. He got louder as she focused her attention on his other nipple. He felt the fire within him climbing higher. He had no doubt it was doing the same in her.

She kissed him once more. He turned their bodies until he was on top of her. He nuzzled her jaw. His thrusts increased in intensity and speed. The fire in him was reaching its peak. He slid a hand between them, massaging her clit. A pleasurable moan escaped her mouth. She laid her hands on his neck. She closed her eyes while whimpering softly. The lovebirds kissed long and hard. Their tongues fought each other, and they groaned against their lips. He kneaded her aching breasts. He stared deep into her eyes after breaking the kiss to see her open them.

"I can't hold on much longer, Ashley," Andros whispered, his body tightening as each second ticked by.

"Me neither, Andros," Ashley said, tears shining in her eyes. "Me neither."

The lovebirds kissed passionately while wrapping their arms around each other. His thrusts got harder and faster as he moved within her. They were almost at their climax. After what seemed like an eternity, he came and released himself into her. She echoed her release to him a second later. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably. They found themselves coming back to reality. They breathed hard while waiting for their heartbeats to return to normal.

"I feel so incredible," she whispered lovingly.

He smiled. "So do I."

He kissed her tenderly. He rolled off her and laid on his back, taking a deep breath. She snuggled next to him, laying her head on his chest.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were like a force of nature," Andros commented, swallowing hard. He wrapped his arms around her.

"So were you," Ashley responded, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. "I couldn't have asked for a better lover."

"I couldn't have asked for a better lover either," Andros whispered, stroking her shoulder. "Of course, we are laying on the wrong side of the bed." He laughed lightly.

"I don't care which way we lay on my bed," Ashley said with a giggle. "All I care about is that we made love in it." She ran her fingertips over his stomach. "I'm glad we did."

"Me too," Andros agreed. "In fact, I want to do you some more right now."

She took her head off his chest to look at him. "Then do it. I dare you."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I will."

He flipped her over on her back, getting in between her legs. He kissed her passionately. She moaned delightfully. She felt him kiss her jawline and travel down to her neck. She tilted her head to the side, giving him better access.

"Oh, yes, Andros," Ashley whimpered softly. She screamed ecstatically at him sucking on her neck. "Oh, God."

"That's right, Ash," Andros murmured in seduction. "Let it all out."

He captured her lips in a possessive kiss. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, which earned him a heady moan from her. He grabbed at the sheets, groaning in ecstasy. They became lost in another lovemaking session.

00000

Andros and Ashley bathed in the afterglow of their lovemaking forty minutes later. He lay on his back with his head on the pillow while she was snuggled against him with her head on his chest. The sheet covered their bodies from the chest down. He played with a strand of her hair before rubbing her back in a gentle matter. He felt her slide her hand over his stomach. Their breathing and heartbeats seemed to mingle together.

"That was such a great round of lovemaking," he whispered, his voice filled with warmth and love.

"It just keeps getting better and better," she murmured and took her head off his chest. She propped it up with her elbow.

"This bed is so comfortable," Andros said and smiled sweetly.

"It sure is," Ashley replied, squeaking in glee. "I feel like I can sink into it."

Andros brought his hand up and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "You want me to go with you?"

"Sure," Ashley said with a nod.

"I do have one request," Andros said and ran his finger up and down her nose.

"What's that?" Ashley asked, showing much curiosity.

"Don't stop to do your makeup," Andros quipped with a snicker.

Ashley giggled. "How about I put makeup on you instead?"

"You wish," Andros retorted with a smirk. She smacked him on the chest. She was about to do it again when he caught her wrist and shook his head. "Ah-ah-ah. No smacking me twice on the chest." He chuckled mischievously.

"Aw! You ruined my fun!" she whined.

"Keep whining. I love hearing it," he said with pride. "In fact, why don't you add a pout to it?"

"Okay," Ashley said and formed a pout.

"Good. You look so cute with it," Andros said and pinched her cheek. He spoke baby talk. She swatted his hand aside and ruffled his hair. "God. You look so sexy without anything on."

She couldn't stop herself from smiling. "So do you. I don't think you'll be losing your sexiness for a long time to come."

"The same goes for you with yours," Andros responded, running his hand over her hair. He received a kiss from her. They pressed their foreheads together. He slid his fingers up and down her back. "If there's one thing I know, it's that you take my breath away every time I am near you."

"So do you with me," Ashley commented lovingly. "I hope you continue taking my breath away."

He gave her a seductive look. "Oh, I will. In fact, I'll do that right now."

Ashley yelped when Andros flipped her over on her back. He slipped in between her legs and stared down at her with much intensity. He was about to kiss her when the phone started ringing loudly. They stared at it, looking somewhat annoyed, as they knew it was likely one of her parents calling in to check on her. He got off her, allowing her to roll over and pick it up. She put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Ashley said.

 _"Hi, Ashley,"_ Anna answered cheerfully.

"Hi yourself, Mom," Ashley said, chuckling quietly. "How are you and Dad doing?"

 _"We're doing great. Your dad took me out for a romantic dinner at O'Charley's. We shared a big plate of spaghetti. We even kissed when we ate the same noodle,"_ Anna explained sweetly.

"Oh, that's so sweet," Ashley cooed and twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "How's the hotel?"

 _"Pine Oak Hotel is wonderful,"_ Anna said warmly. _"The room we rented has a king-sized bed and a big TV. The TV has all the channels we like."_ She laughed in delight.

"Nice," Ashley commented. "You're so lucky to have a king-sized bed and cable TV. Many hotel rooms have only one or the other."

 _"You got that right,"_ Anna said, making a funny noise. _"It's just…"_

As Ashley continued to listen to her mother talk, Andros pulled her hair aside and started kissing her neck. She tensed up, feeling her heart rate increase in speed. He thrusted his crotch into her butt as he kissed his way to her shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt him fondle her breast. He nibbled on her shoulder very gently.

She swallowed hard and opened her eyes. She really wanted to hang up the phone and tackle him to the bed, so she could kiss him like crazy. However, she knew that would be very rude to do that to her mother. She regained her composure and removed it from her ear. She gave him a stern look and mouthed 'Stop it.' He stopped his ministrations and held up his hand in surrender. She returned her attention to the phone, putting it back on her ear. He lay on his back, putting his hands behind his head.

 _"That's why we rented a room here,"_ Anna said.

"That's nice," Ashley responded, smiling warmly. "If you want to know what Andros and I have been doing, we had breakfast for supper. He cooked it for me. After doing the dishes, we played a few rounds of _Primal Rage._ We were thumb wrestling when you called. I managed to…"

As Ashley continued talking to Anna, Andros struggled to keep himself from snickering. He knew she would never tell her what they had really been doing. He had to admit what she just said was the perfect cover as they had done both things a number of times when they got together at either of their homes. He always found them fun.

"He looked so cute when he pouted after he lost," Ashley commented, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing.

 _"Most guys do when they pout,"_ Anna said, making kissing sounds.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "You just had to do that, didn't you?"

Anna laughed in glee. _"I couldn't resist. Anyway, it's wonderful you have a boyfriend who loves and respects you deeply. Many girls would die to have what you have."_ She sighed in content.

"I know. Andros means the universe to me. Everything would be perfect if Johnny would just disappear," Ashley grumbled irritatingly and made a retching noise. "When is he going to take a hint that I want nothing to do with him?" She scoffed to herself.

 _"Probably never. Don't worry about him. Even average-looking girls would reject that butthead. He's going to be alone for the rest of his life unless he changes his attitude,"_ Anna said bluntly.

"Isn't that the truth?" Ashley whispered with a snicker.

Anna cleared her throat. _"Right. Anyway, I have to go. Your dad wants to play backgammon."_

"Andros wants to thumb-wrestle some more. I love you. Good night," Ashley answered, sighing quietly.

 _"Good night. Don't do anything silly,"_ Anna said.

Ashley laughed sarcastically. "That was so funny that I died laughing. Good night."

Ashley hung up the phone. She rolled over and looked at Andros, an irritated expression showing on her face. Andros gazed at her, trying to appear innocent.

"You shouldn't have done what you did while I was talking on the phone with my mother. I came this close to moaning out loud," Ashley growled, pinching her thumb and index finger nearly closed.

Andros became a bit smug. "How could I resist touching such a sexy woman, even when she was talking on the phone?"

"For starters, Mom probably would've figured out we've been sexually active," she pointed out.

"Maybe she would've. Maybe she wouldn't have. The point is you're not talking to her anymore. We can make love as much as we want now," he said, chuckling suggestively.

"I know," Ashley said, squealing in joy.

"In fact, I'm going to flip you over now!" Andros yelled and flipped her over, causing her to yell out. He got in between her legs. "Now, I am going to kiss you like there's no tomorrow."

Ashley hissed seductively. "Do it. I mean it."

He smiled and kissed her with great passion. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. Their hearts pounded against their chests. Electricity coursed through their bodies at a rapid rate. He ran his hands up and down her body while kissing her jawline. He made his way to her earlobe. He nibbled on it gently at first, but he increased the pressure, earning a heady moan from her.

He trailed his lips to her neck and smothered it with hungry kisses. She grabbed his shoulders as if she was unable to hang on to anything else. He captured her lips in a possessive kiss. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, tracing every inch of it. He smiled against it at her groaning in delight. He slid his hands all over her body.

Ashley gasped in ecstasy when she felt her boyfriend fondle her breasts and tease her nipples with his thumbs until they were hard to his touch. She slid her hands downward and grabbed his cock. She began to stroke it very gently. She twisted her hands around it very slowly. He tore away from his girlfriend's lips, staring deep into her eyes. He looked as if he were about to lose it.

"You're killing me, Ash," he groaned.

She breathed heavily. "I'm glad I am."

Ashley kissed Andros roughly. She coaxed his lips to open with her tongue, touching his. He moved his hands into her hair, grabbing at it. They became lost in the pleasures of lovemaking once more.

00000

Ashley slept peacefully on her back in the late evening. She wrinkled her nose somewhat and let out a small yawn. Andros zipped up his pants and buttoned them as he stood next to the door. He buckled his belt. He grabbed his t-shirt and put it on. He smoothed it out with both hands. He ran his fingers through his hair, straightening it. He grabbed his blue socks and white tennis shoes and went over to the bed. He sat down and put the former on, followed by the latter. He tied his shoelaces.

He looked at her and emitted a sad sigh. He wanted to stay with her all night, but he knew he couldn't, as he had to get home. The last thing he wanted was to face Ricky and Diane's anger for breaking curfew. At least he could take comfort in the fact that he'd be able to spend the night with her in her college dorm room next year. After all, no one would be able to tell him when he could visit her.

He thought about what he could do for her. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. He could write her a note and leave it for her. He looked at her nightstand and opened the top drawer. He took out a pen and a notebook. He opened the latter and started writing down what he wanted to say to her. After forty-five seconds of writing, he was finished and tore out the page. He folded it in half and laid it on the bed close to her.

Andros placed the notebook and pen back in the drawer before closing it very slowly as to not wake Ashley. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. She stirred in her sleep, but she didn't wake up. He pressed his forehead against hers, taking slow yet even breaths. After what seemed like an eternity, he pulled away. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I love you, Ashley," Andros whispered, his voice filled with love. "Good night."

He turned away and stood up. He headed to the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking somewhat. He walked out of the room, closing it behind him. He went downstairs quietly. He unlocked the front door before opening it. He locked it back and went outside, closing it behind him. He headed down the sidewalk, slipping his hands inside his pockets.

00000

Ashley stirred in her sleep in early morning. She moaned and opened her eyes, finding her vision was blurry. She blinked them three times to clear them. She found Andros was nowhere in sight. She was sad he was gone. She wondered if he left before he broke his curfew. She didn't want him to be grounded from seeing her.

She sat up, the sheet falling from her chest. She ran her hands through her hair and over her face twice. She let out a long yawn and smacked her lips. She turned to see a folded piece of paper laying close to her. She picked it up. She opened it to find he had written a note.

"'My dearest Ashley, I'm sorry to leave you, but my curfew is thirty minutes away. I didn't want to wake you up to tell you that I was leaving because you looked so peaceful sleeping. I want to thank you for such a wonderful evening. The best part was making love with you. It's incredible how many times we went at it over two-and-a-half hours,'" she whispered, feeling her eyes tear up. "'I look forward to many more get-togethers like tonight's. I can't wait to see you at school tomorrow morning. Even better is that tomorrow is Friday, and we have the weekend to look forward to. I can't wait until Christmas Break is here, and we're at your aunt's cabin again. It'll be so wonderful for us to be alone there. We can make love as much as we want. Until then, we'll enjoy these moments we have together. Love, Andros.'"

Ashley choked back a sob as the tears fell from her eyes. She pressed the note against her chest. She thought what Andros had written was so sweet. She decided she was keeping this note, but she was going to keep it hidden somewhere where her parents couldn't find it. The last thing she wanted was for them to read it and discover their sexual activity.

She thought about where she could hide it. Just then, an idea came to her mind. She would hide it in her treasure box inside her closet. She put it aside and looked down at the floor, where the robe she wore over her nightie at the cabin was laying. She swung her legs over the edge and picked it up to put it on. She stood up and tied it closed. She reached over to grab the note.

She made her way over to the closet, opening it. She squatted down and pulled out a medium-sized wooden box. She lifted the lid and took out a number of objects, including a small white bracelet. She refolded the paper and placed it inside. She returned the objects to the box and lowered the lid. She pushed it back inside her closet. She rose to her full height, closing the door. She headed to the bathroom. Little did the couple know that fate would turn their lives in a very different direction.


	18. Just Another Day Starting

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighteen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. I can't say for sure, but it's possible some of the Lost Galaxy characters will be making appearances. Most of the Terra Venture civilians were from Angel Grove and had left Earth to escape the constant monster attacks. I feel it'd be nice to bring them in. The roles of the characters who were the Galaxy Rangers (Leo, Kendrix, Damon, Kai, and Maya) are not certain at this point, but they will be revealed in time. I may even add a planet exchange program where Earthlings trade places with civilians from other worlds to experience each other's cultures. Just because the first six seasons of Power Rangers are focused on in this fic doesn't mean characters or cities from the other seasons can't appear. Stay tuned for chapter nineteen.

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Chapter 18: Just Another Day Starting

Ashley was brushing her hair in the Hammond residence's medium-sized upstairs bathroom while standing in front of the oval-shaped mirror close to midmorning in early December. She finished that and laid the brush next to the sink. She grabbed a ponytail holder off the counter and pulled her hair back with both hands. She put the holder over her ponytail three times. She slipped locks of hair behind her ears. She appeared very satisfied with her work.

She placed her hands on the counter. She sighed happily as she thought about the last five weeks. Her and Andros's relationship had grown even stronger. Each time they were alone together was better than the last one was, especially during their sexual encounters. Their most recent date was dinner at Piper's Pizza Place this past Thursday. After that, they went to the lake at Angel Grove Park and made love in the back of his green Honda.

Her thoughts drifted to their upcoming Christmas stay at Raylene's cabin. She couldn't wait for that to be here, especially since they planned to make love a lot. She wanted to seduce him with her nightie again. She hoped he would give her a gift as she was planning to give him one herself. Of course, it wasn't necessary, but she saw it as a nice gesture.

She snapped out of her thoughts when the phone began ringing. She raced to her room, hoping she'd catch it before one of her parents picked it up. Unfortunately, it stopped on the third ring just as she reached it. She kicked the floor in frustration. She mumbled inaudible words while laying both of her hands on the back of her neck. She put her them at her sides.

"Ashley, Andros is on the phone!" Anna called from downstairs.

Ashley's frustration faded away and was replaced by happiness. She looked toward the doorway, sitting on the bed.

"I'll pick it up from here, Mom!" Ashley yelled.

"Okay!" Anna responded. "Don't talk for a real long time! Breakfast will be ready soon!"

"Okay!" Ashley said, chuckling quietly. "By the way, don't burn anything, all right?"

"Of course not!" Anna shouted and giggled loudly.

Ashley rolled her eyes. Sometimes, she thought her mother was impossible. She turned to the phone and picked it up. She placed it on her ear.

"Hi, Andros," Ashley said sweetly.

 _"Hi, darling. How are you doing this morning?"_ Andros asked lovingly.

"I'm doing great. What about you?" Ashley answered, rubbing her forehead gingerly.

 _"I'm doing great like you. I'm really looking forward to going out to lunch with our friends at Arby's and hanging out in the park afterward. So are TJ and Karone,"_ Andros explained.

 _"You guys better not steal any kisses from each other. The same goes for Zhane and Karone,"_ TJ quipped, his footfalls approaching and stopping.

 _"We won't, Dad,"_ Andros said, blowing a raspberry.

Ashley heard TJ blow a raspberry, which was slightly louder than Andros's was. She pictured them smirking at each other in her mind. She put her right leg over her left. She heard TJ walking away.

 _"TJ is just being a dork as usual,"_ Andros said, snickering.

 _"I heard that!"_ TJ called distantly.

"Well, I heard what TJ just said," Ashley commented, laughing raucously. She stopped when she ran out of breath. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to lunch and the park as much as you, TJ, and Karone are. What are you planning to have?" She licked her lips.

 _"Well, I'm planning to get a beef-n-cheddar sandwich, curly fries, and a coke. TJ and Karone want to get chicken tenders and regular fries,"_ Andros explained. _"What about you?"_

"I want to get a beef-n-cheddar sandwich, curly fries, and a sprite," Ashley answered, smiling widely.

 _"Okey-dokey,"_ Andros commented. _"Just don't drop your lunch on the floor."_ He snickered.

"The same goes for you with your lunch. Hold on a second," Ashley said and put the phone down. She stood up and went to her door to close it. She returned to her spot on the bed. She picked up the phone to put it back on her ear. "I don't want my parents to hear what I want to talk with you about."

 _"I understand. I closed the door to my room too, so no one can hear me either,"_ Andros said. _"Anyway, I can't believe Christmas is just twenty days away. It feels like Thanksgiving was just yesterday."_

"I know. Oh, God. I can't wait to make love with you at the cabin again," she whispered, her voice showing excitement.

 _"Me neither. It will be even better since we have four days to do it,"_ he responded quietly.

"Yeah. I feel my heart racing just thinking about it," Ashley said, struggling to keep herself from giggling.

 _"Just remember we're stopping on the side of the road to make love in the back of your van during our trip back home,"_ Andros pointed out.

"I haven't forgotten," Ashley said honestly. "That will be something great. The back of my van is rather comfortable."

She uncrossed her leg and put her left ankle over her right. She ran her fingers through her ponytail.

 _"The back of your van is quite comfortable. How many times have we laid there?"_ he asked curiously.

"Plenty of times," she answered, licking her lips. "I remember one time you fell asleep while holding me and started snoring loudly." A giggle escaped her lips.

 _"Hey, you snore just as loud as I do,"_ Andros growled playfully.

"Yeah," Ashley said. Just then, her stomach started rumbling. She looked down, touching it. "I am feeling very hungry for breakfast." She sighed heavily.

 _"So am I. I'll let you go, so you can eat,"_ Andros commented.

"Okay. I love you. I'll pick you, TJ, and Karone up at noon," Ashley whispered in a loving manner.

 _"All right. I love you too. Bye,"_ Andros responded.

Ashley placed the phone on its base. She rose to her feet and headed for the door. She opened it, closing it behind her as she walked out of her room. She went to the bathroom.

00000

Anna poured scrambled eggs from a small bowl into a skillet on the kitchen stove with a fork. She put both in the sink and filled the bowl with warm water. She glanced out the window, seeing the trees dip and sway in the wind. She turned off the water and returned to the stove. She picked up a plastic spoon and started to stir the eggs. She eyed a large bowl, a plate of bacon, and a coffee-filled mug sitting on the counter next to her.

Ashton sat at the table, reading the newspaper. He mumbled inaudible words and looked at his coffee-filled mug. The table had plates set up with silverware at his spot and on either side of him. He turned back to his newspaper and folded it. He laid it on the table before picking up his mug to sip his coffee. Anna peered over her shoulder at him.

"Did you read any exciting news, Ashton?" she wondered.

"Not really. That is unless you consider the anticipation of the birth of Riley's baby as exciting," he answered, putting his mug down.

She turned back to the eggs. "I have no doubt the trainers are looking forward to it. It's been a while since the aquarium had a bottlenose dolphin born there."

He ran his hand over his hair. "The orca has the longest gestation period of any cetacean species. You'd think that honor would go the blue whale since it's the biggest animal on Earth."

"Nature behaves in mysterious ways," Anna said, chuckling lightly. "You never know what it might come up with next."

"Yep," Ashton agreed. He put his hands behind his head, tapping his foot three times. "I have so many newspaper clippings from the days of the Power Rangers. I couldn't give them up, especially after hearing my daughter was a Ranger." He sighed to himself.

"Who would've thought that ordinary teens could be superheroes?" Anna wondered.

"The most interesting thing about them is how they were able to keep everyone in the dark for so long," he said thoughtfully.

"I have no doubt that wasn't easy," she whispered.

"Nope. All the times Ashley came home with bruises she claimed were from falling at school or playing in the park, we never realized she was fighting evil monsters," Ashton replied.

"She couldn't exactly say, 'Hey, I was fighting a bunch of monsters Divatox sent. Let's have dinner,'" Anna pointed out.

"That's true, but I wonder if we could've figured it out ourselves," Ashton whispered and put his hands on the table.

"We know now," Anna said, clearing her throat. "That's all that matters."

Ashton snapped his fingers and clicked his tongue twice. He and Anna heard footsteps and saw Ashley coming into the kitchen.

"Well, look who decided to join us," Ashton greeted.

"Hi, Dad," Ashley said, joining his side.

"How did your phone conversation with Andros go?" Anna said, looking over her shoulder at her.

Ashley glanced at her mother. "It went fine, Mom. He is excited about going out to lunch with our friends. So are TJ and Karone. I heard TJ joke about us stealing kisses from each other in the background. He mentioned the same in regards to Zhane and Karone."

Ashton snickered and put his hands on the table. "I think you and Andros should merge yourselves together. So should Zhane and Karone. After all, both couples are practically joined at the hip." He moved his eyebrows.

"Andros and I will do that on one condition, Dad," Ashley said, turning back to her father.

"And what's that?" Ashton wondered.

"You and Mom have also to merge yourselves together," Ashley answered with a giggle.

"I like that idea," Anna said, looking at her husband. "Do you?"

"It sounds nice. That is until we start fighting over stuff such as what to watch and what side of the bed to sleep on," Ashton commented, peering over his shoulder at his wife.

Anna laughed sarcastically. "That was so funny that I died laughing."

Ashton waved her off and returned his attention to the table. He picked up his mug to sip his coffee. Anna eyed Ashley, who put her hands behind her back.

"The eggs are just about done, Ash. Why don't you take the bacon to the table?" Anna suggested.

Ashley nodded at her. "Sure, Mom."

Ashley went to the counter, grabbing the bacon. She took it to the table and set it in the center. She got a glass from the cabinet next to the sink. She walked to the refrigerator and opened it. She grabbed the orange juice and poured it into her glass. Ashton looked at her, surprise filling his eyes.

"No coffee this morning, dear?" Ashton asked.

"Unh-unh. In fact, I don't even want to drink black coffee," Ashley replied. She stopped pouring when her glass was nearly full. She put the juice back in the refrigerator and closed it. She went to the chair on her father's left to sit down. "Maybe I'm getting tired of drinking coffee every morning." She sipped her juice before putting her glass down.

Ashton gave a shrug. "Who knows? Between my parents and me, my mother was the biggest coffee drinker. She could drink six cups of coffee in one day."

"Your father drank six cups of coffee sometime after we started dating and went crazy in a very silly way," Anna said, stifling a snicker.

"I heard that!" Ashton shouted, pretending to look offended. "Since you're thinner than me, you'd go crazy earlier than I would after six cups of coffee."

"Remind me to gain some weight, so that doesn't happen," Anna commented.

"How, by eating donuts?" Ashton asked, turning to the table.

Anna smirked. "I have my ways."

Ashton and Ashley laughed heartily. Anna finished the eggs and turned off the burner. She dumped them into the bowl. She took the skillet to the sink, putting it in and filling it with warm, soapy water. She grabbed the eggs and her mug. She went to the table. She sat down in the chair on Ashton's right and laid her mug down. She scraped some eggs on her plate before giving them to Ashley. She got three pieces of bacon.

"If there's one thing I love about coffee, it's that it gives me a boost of energy," Anna said and picked up her fork. She poked it into her eggs, getting a decent amount on it. She popped them into her mouth and chewed them. She swallowed with a loud gulp.

"You said it, Mom," Ashley agreed and proceeded to scrape eggs onto her plate. "I just hope I feel like having some tomorrow morning. It's not like me to not want any." She swallowed hard.

Ashton gave her a look of encouragement. "I wouldn't worry, honey. After all, everyone goes through a phase where something they like turns them off."

"I know," Ashley answered and finished with the eggs. She gave them to her father, who started scraping them onto his plate. She got four pieces of bacon. She picked up her fork and got some eggs onto it. She put them in her mouth and chewed them. "At least the eggs are good."

"Great," Anna said and grabbed her bacon. She bit into it and chewed it up. She swallowed before smacking her lips. She let out a small chuckle. "The bacon's good too."

Ashton finished with the eggs and set them in the center of the table. He grabbed two pieces of bacon.

"You know, your grandfather played a prank on me once, honey," Anna said, smiling lightly.

"No way," Ashley said, appearing very surprised.

"I'm not kidding. Dad told me there was a surprise waiting for me in my room. I became excited and raced to my room. I opened the door and was greeted with water falling on my head from a bucket. I heard laughter and turned around to see my father. He said he couldn't believe I fell for that trick. I started laughing too," Anna explained.

Ashley laughed hysterically. "I never thought Grandpa was capable of playing pranks. He looks too serious for that." She took a deep breath.

"You know what they say, 'Never judge a book by its cover,'" Anna commented, picking up her coffee and sipping it. She smacked her lips before smiling. She put it back down.

"I pulled pranks a lot when I was a child. I did the typical stuff such as whoopie cushions and buckets of water on the tops of doors. I even put a plastic frog in Anna's chair when we first started dating. Her reaction was priceless!" Ashton said proudly.

"You're a great prankster, but pranks backfire sooner or later. That's always funny," Anna whispered with a giggle.

Ashton became offended. "Hey!"

Anna winked at her husband, who rolled his eyes. She took another bite out of her bacon before eating a little bit of her eggs.

"I played the occasional prank. My favorite was switching Mom's soup cans with fakes. She'd open them, and confetti would fly out. It was fun seeing the priceless look on her face," Anna explained.

"Playing pranks on you two has always been impossible. You figure them out before they happen. You are very smart," Ashley said, running her tongue over her teeth.

"We still are. There's nothing you can do about it," Ashton smirked.

"I'm not sure about that, Dad," Ashley replied with a snicker. "Your memory may start slipping before you know it. So could Mom's."

Ashton stuck his tongue out at his daughter, who held up her hands. They smiled at each other. The family continued with their breakfast.

00000

Ashley scrubbed a plate with a sponge in soapy water thirty-five minutes later. She managed to get it clean and rinsed it off. She handed it to Ashton, who put it in the dishwasher's bottom. She cleaned up the plastic spoon and gave it to him. She saw him slip it in the silverware rack. She got the large bowl and started to scrub it. He placed his hand on the counter and leaned against it somewhat. He stared at his daughter. She noticed that and became concerned.

"What is it, Dad?" she asked.

"It's nothing. Of course, you ate more than you normally do at breakfast," he answered truthfully. "Eight pieces of bacon and two servings of eggs is a lot."

"I know," Ashley said, a quiet sigh leaving her mouth. "For some reason, I felt hungrier than I normally do." She chuckled humorlessly. "I hope I don't get sick."

"I don't either, but we didn't waste any food," Ashton pointed out.

"Yeah. By the end of the week, I'll probably clean out the whole refrigerator," Ashley joked.

"That'll never happen," Ashton said with a laugh. "No one is _that_ hungry."

Ashley handed her father the bowl and watched him put it in the dishwasher's top. They heard laughter. She rinsed her hands of the soapsuds and dried them with a towel. They walked to the doorway and saw Anna watching _The Lion King_ on the couch. She had just seen Zazu get hit by the elephant after he used its ear as a towel.

"Yeah! Skip across the water like you're a rock, Zazu! Wait until you get squashed by the rhino!" Anna yelled in delight.

Ashton and Ashley smiled and returned to the dishwasher and sink respectively. He observed her getting the skillet to wash it.

"Your mom really loves _The Lion King,_ " Ashton commented.

"It's the perfect movie for children," Ashley answered. "There's no cursing or violence, except for when Mufasa gets trampled by the wildebeest, Simba's tussle with Nala, and the fight for Pride Rock."

He put his hands on his sides. "The best parts of the movie are the songs. They are so catchy."

She giggled, remembering when she heard the movie's songs for the first time. "Oh, yes."

Ashley managed to get the skillet clean and rinsed it off. She handed it to Ashton, who placed it on the bottom. He filled the compartment with dishwashing soap and closed the dishwasher. He turned it on and watched her drain the sink. She gave him a high-five after washing the soapsuds off her hands.

"We make a great team, Dad," she said happily.

"Yes, we do," he responded. He ruffled his daughter's hair before pinching her cheek. She pushed his hand aside and got a wink from him. Her face became serious.

"You won't believe this, Daddy, but Andros and I overheard people saying young children shouldn't be watching movies such as _The Lion King_ and _Bambi_ during our date Thursday night. They said those movies were too scary for them and should be banned," Ashley muttered and scoffed.

"Oh, come on," Ashton said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Children need to get scared once in a while. They can't be shielded from everything."

"We told those people that, but they didn't listen. They actually told us we'd make bad parents," Ashley said and sighed heavily.

"You and Andros won't be bad parents if you let your children watch _The Lion King_ and _Bambi,_ " Ashton responded in a calm yet firm voice. "Bad parents let their children watch whatever they want. They don't care if their children say curse words or get violent with others."

Ashley winced badly. "That's terrible."

"Don't worry about what other people think of you when it comes to children. What you decide for them is up to you. No one has a right to judge you for it," Ashton said softly.

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Ashley murmured.

Ashton winked at her. "You're welcome."

He wrapped his arms around her to give her a hug. He felt her slip hers around his waist. He patted her back gently before rubbing it. He pushed her back to look at her.

"I feel fortunate this house has three bedrooms. It allowed your mom and me to turn one of them into a guest bedroom," Ashton said, smiling lightly.

"It's wild that you and Mom had a one-bedroom apartment when I was a newborn. I slept right next to your bed in a bassinet. I woke both of you up when I started crying," Ashley whispered, a small laugh coming out of her mouth.

"You might have, but we moved into our first house in Boston not long after. You got your own room then," Ashton pointed out.

"Then we moved out here when I was three years old. I met Carlos in preschool. We became friends," Ashley said in warmness.

"Now, you're dating a wonderful boy who happens to be from another world and will be graduating high school in five months. On top of that, you fought as a Power Ranger for more than a year," Ashton said proudly.

"I enjoyed being a Power Ranger. I miss it a lot," Ashley whispered, sniffling softly as she remembered the battles she fought. "It was a difficult job protecting the universe, but someone had to do it."

Ashton ran his hand over his daughter's hair. He gave her another big hug. She responded by giving him one. They stayed this way for twenty seconds before pulling apart.

"Everything is wonderful in our family, except for one thing. My grandparents are always meddling in our lives," Ashley mumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Ashton sighed heavily. "I know. They are very old-fashioned. They jumped on your mom and me when we moved in together before our wedding. They called it wrong." He scoffed to himself. "To us, it wasn't wrong. It was a sign that the times were changing. More unmarried couples were beginning to live together."

"I think a couple should live together before they are married to see if they are capable of handling a marriage. If they can't handle living together, then they shouldn't get married. It's as simple as that," Ashley said firmly.

"If you and Andros choose to live together before you marry, your mom and I are fine with that. I have no doubt that TJ's parents would be okay with it," Ashton commented.

"At least TJ's grandfather is with the times. He understands unmarried couples are living together nowadays," Ashley pointed out.

"That he does," Ashton agreed, chuckling lightly. "I'll tell you one thing. You can always come to your mom and me for anything. We will support you, no matter what."

Ashley sniffled quietly. "I know. I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Ashley," Ashton responded. They hugged once more. They broke apart after ten seconds. They gazed toward the living room. "What do you say we go watch the movie with your mom?"

"Okay," Ashley agreed. They walked into the living room. They sat on either side of Anna. All three of them proceeded to watch the movie.


	19. Fast Food Treat

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter nineteen of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I decided to change where Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin were having lunch together to Arby's in chapter eighteen because I felt it'd be easier. I also added details about a planet exchange program in chapter one. It's looking likely that Lost Galaxy characters will be appearing in this fic. Anyway, this chapter has Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, and TJ/Cassie fluff. Stay tuned for chapter twenty.

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Chapter 19: Fast Food Treat

Arby's was busy just after noon. Andros and Ashley were waiting at the first of four cash registers for their food. They heard screaming and looked at a girl jumping up and down with her hands balled into fists at the second register. The girl's father tried to quiet her, but he had no luck. Andros and Ashley turned away, swallowing hard. An impatient sigh caught their attention, and they peered over their shoulders at a man.

"Could this line get moving already?" the man complained.

"The workers are moving as fast as they can, sir," Andros responded calmly.

"You can't expect them to rush and make a mess of things," Ashley added.

The man stomped his foot. "I don't care! I'm hungry! I want to eat right now!"

Andros became a little irritated. "Stomping your foot won't make them move any faster."

"Shut up. I don't have to talk to you," the man snapped.

"All right," Ashley said, holding up her hands. "You don't have to be so rude."

The man flipped the couple off and looked away. Andros and Ashley turned back to the counter, shaking their heads in disbelief. They wondered why some people had to be in such a hurry. They weren't known for getting anywhere fast unless they were late or had an emergency. They saw two cashiers walk up to them with trays.

"Here's your food," the first cashier said and handed the first tray to Andros.

"We're sorry it took so long," the second cashier apologized, giving the second tray to Ashley.

"It's all right," Andros responded sympathetically.

"It must stink when you get really busy and have a bunch of customers waiting on you," Ashley added.

"It does," the second cashier said, groaning in some annoyance. "Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks," Andros said, winking at the cashiers. "I hope the rest of your day goes well."

"So do we," the first cashier answered, smiling lightly.

Andros and Ashley got straws and napkins at the end of the counter. They went to the ketchup dispenser behind the lines and grabbed two small paper cups each. They squirted ketchup into them. They headed toward the middle of the restaurant, where TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin sat at three tables pushed together. TJ sat at the first end while Justin was seated at the second one. Cassie, Zhane, and Karone were to the left of TJ. Carlos was in the first seat on TJ's right. Andros and Ashley seated themselves, setting their trays on the tables.

"We're sorry it took so long, guys," Andros apologized.

"Don't worry about it, bro," Karone answered sweetly. "We're not in any rush to finish eating." She winked at her brother before popping a fry into her mouth.

Ashley opened her straw and put it in her small diet coke. "Unfortunately, some people were in a hurry to get food." She rolled her eyes.

Andros opened his straw, getting it into his large diet coke. "I wish the universe didn't have to be in such a rush."

"Me too. When will people learn that you can't get through life by rushing things?" Cassie wondered.

"Probably never," TJ answered, shaking his head in disbelief. He picked up his small coke and sipped it. He put it down.

"You're most likely right," Cassie said, looking at TJ as she picked up her regular roast beef sandwich to take a bite out of it. She chewed and swallowed with a loud gulp.

TJ smirked widely. "Hey, I'm always right."

"Not always," Cassie said, narrowing her eyes at him as she laid her sandwich down.

"Oh, yes," TJ said, nodding rapidly.

Cassie shook her head just as fast. "Oh, no."

TJ slapped Cassie in the back of her head. She punched him lightly in the shoulder. She pointed her finger at him and moved it in all directions. He imitated her motions with his head, pretending to get dizzy. They became still, smiling at each other. Laughter caught their attention, and they looked at Carlos. Cassie put her hand on the table.

"I have to say you two would make a great comedic duo," Carlos commented.

"Why don't you join us and make it a trio?" TJ suggested.

"After all, you're the prankster of this group," Cassie added, a giggle coming out of her mouth.

"No, thanks. I'd rather work on my own," Carlos said with a shake of his head.

"What's the matter, chicken?" TJ teased and made clucking sounds.

"It's ironic you called Carlos chicken, Teej, because you're eating that," Justin said, gesturing toward TJ's chicken tenders as he became quiet.

"So are you, Justin," Zhane said, looking at Justin's chicken tenders. He jerked his thumb toward Carlos's chicken sandwich. "Carlos has chicken too."

"That's true," Justin agreed. He picked up a tender and took a bite out of it. He chewed quickly and swallowed with a quiet gulp. "It's good too." He ate some more of it before putting it down.

The others started laughing aloud. They quieted down when people stared at them. Andros and Ashley removed the wrappers from their beef-and-cheddar sandwiches.

"I'll be right back, guys," Ashley said and rose to her feet.

"Don't take too long," Andros said.

She smiled lovingly at him. "I won't."

The others watched her walk off and turned back to their food. Andros picked up his sandwich and bit into it. He chewed and swallowed, nodding in approval. He laid his sandwich down.

"I swear, this place's beef-n-cheddar sandwiches get better every time I come," Andros said truthfully.

"The best part of the sandwich is the cheese," Karone commented. "Of course, the sandwich has a little too much on it sometimes."

Zhane smiled as he looked at his girlfriend. "I bet you'd look cute with cheese all over your mouth."

Karone turned to her boyfriend. "I bet you would too, cute boy." She pinched his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," Zhane responded, pushing her hand aside. He flicked her chin twice. "By the way, I wear the pants in this relationship."

"Yeah, right," Karone said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Just then, Ashley returned to her seat with two small horsey sauce-filled paper cups. She put the first one down. She took the top bun off her sandwich and put the sauce all over it. Andros, TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin stared at her as if she had gone insane. She noticed them, raising her eyebrows.

"What?" Ashley asked.

"Since when did you put horsey sauce on your beef-n-cheddar sandwich?" Andros responded in confusion.

"Since now," Ashley said and finished with the sauce. She put the rest of it aside and laid the bun back on her sandwich. "I had a craving for it and felt it'd go good with my sandwich. I'm going to dip some of my fries in it too."

Cassie appeared a little disgusted. "That is weird."

"On top of that, you've never been fond of horsey sauce," Carlos added seriously.

Ashley picked up her sandwich. "I decided to give it more of a chance." She took a bite out of it, chewing quickly and swallowing with a loud gulp. "That was good."

Ashley laid her sandwich down. She grabbed three fries and dipped each of them in the sauce. She popped all of them into her mouth and chewed them up. Andros, TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin wondered what was really going on with her. They weren't about to ask due to the risk of making her angry. She swallowed with a loud gulp.

"Isn't it nice that we're all having lunch together at Arby's?" TJ asked happily.

"Oh, yeah," Andros answered truthfully. "Fast food is a great treat after studying chemical equations for tomorrow's chemistry quiz last night."

Carlos moved the straw in his small sprite up and down three times. "Despite Mr. Wilton's strictness, he means well."

Cassie nodded in agreement. "He sure does. I have to say his baldness makes him look really cute." She stifled a giggle.

"Some women do find bald men very sexy," Karone commented, holding up a finger.

"Anyway, I hope I do well on that quiz," Andros whispered, tensing a little bit.

"So do the rest of us," Zhane said.

"Look on the bright side. We have tonight to study some more," TJ pointed out.

"Yep," the others agreed.

Justin dipped a fry into his honey mustard. "Studying is never a problem for me. I just do it." He popped it into his mouth and chewed it. He swallowed, gulping quietly. "The best part about being a senior is never having to worry about high school ever again after graduation."

"Hallelujah," the others said and shared a laugh.

"We won't have to worry about dealing with obnoxious students every day again," Karone said in relief.

"For those of us going to the university next fall, we may encounter them on campus," TJ grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"I hope Johnny isn't one of them," Ashley whispered in uncertainty and looked at Andros.

"If we do, we'll just tell him off like we always do," Andros said and put his arm around her. He kissed her temple.

Ashley settled into his embrace. "I know."

Andros kissed his girlfriend's temple again and let go of her. They picked up their sandwiches to eat more of them. They put them down. TJ moved his straw in his large diet sprite up and down four times.

"It's really cool that Earth has a planet exchange program now," TJ commented, smiling lightly.

"I like the idea of civilians from different worlds trading places to experience each other's cultures," Cassie said warmly.

"Me too. Of course, Andros, Zhane, and I didn't trade places with any people from Earth. We came here to stay permanently," Karone said and grabbed a fry. She put it into her mouth and proceeded to chew it.

"I remember when I accidentally knocked that surfboard off the wall at the Surf Spot during my first visit to Earth. I didn't even know what it was," Andros said and crossed his arms.

Carlos laughed as he remembered that day. "What do you expect from someone who grew up on a world that doesn't have oceans?"

Ashley glanced at her boyfriend. "At least you know what a surfboard is now."

"That I do," Andros agreed, eyeing her.

"You are also a great surfer," Karone said and swallowed before licking her lips.

"You and Zhane are great surfers too, sis. Of course, you both wipe out more than I do," Andros answered smugly and uncrossed his arms.

Zhane narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "I don't think so."

Andros waved Zhane off. Zhane and Karone grabbed their regular roast beef sandwiches. They took bites out of them, chewing and swallowing with loud gulps. They put them down. Just then, Ms. Applebee walked up to the group.

"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite students," Ms. Applebee said sweetly. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin looked at her.

"Hey, Ms. Applebee," Justin greeted and winked at his teacher. "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you and your friends too, Justin," Ms. Applebee responded, smiling lightly. "How are you all doing?"

Andros put his hands behind his head. "We're all doing fine. We didn't know you ate at Arby's."

"I don't eat here very often, Andros, but I adore their roast beef sandwiches. My favorite is the beef-n-cheddar," Ms. Applebee said.

Ashley showed some excitement. "That's my and Andros's favorite too!"

"Oh, that's great, Ashley," Ms. Applebee commented, a light laugh leaving her mouth. "You know, it's not every day a teacher runs into her students at a fast food restaurant."

"Neither is learning your teacher eats at one," Carlos pointed out.

The group chuckled quietly. A man walked past Ms. Applebee and headed for the trashcan to dump his trash in it.

"So, how are you doing, Ms. Applebee?" Karone asked.

"I'm doing very well. I've been working on mid-term exams all weekend," Ms. Applebee answered. "I can't wait for Christmas Break to be here. It'll be two full weeks with no school."

TJ inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "I think everybody in the school district is relieved Christmas Break is just around the corner. Nobody will have to worry about grades, homework, or bullies."

"Being a teacher can be a hassle with trying to keep the class in line. Some students aren't interested in learning at all. They only want to cause trouble," Ms. Applebee muttered, letting out a heavy sigh as she thought about Johnny and his antics.

"It's not right for a few students to keep others from learning simply because they don't want to," Ashley said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Some people think appearances are the most important thing in the world," Karone said with a roll of her eyes.

Cassie scoffed in anger. "All of us know Veronica is one of them. She's so hung up on how she looks that it makes me sick." She made a retching sound.

"I can't count the number of times I told Veronica to stop touching up her makeup in my class. It took everything I had to not yell at her," Ms. Applebee whispered.

"She believes the world revolves around her," Carlos hissed irritatingly. "One thing's for sure. She's going to end up alone with no one but herself to blame."

The others voiced their agreement. A man approached a table behind Andros, Ashley, and Carlos and sat down.

"Well, I need go. I will see you all tomorrow," Ms. Applebee commented.

"You too. Bye," the teens replied.

"You kids are so funny speaking at the same time," Ms. Applebee giggled and shook her head. "Bye."

The teens waved at Ms. Applebee as she walked away. Ashley folded her hands and laid them on the table.

"I feel really lucky to have Ms. Applebee as a teacher," Ashley said with much warmth.

"She may be a little strict, but she's very nice. She's always willing to listen to her students," Andros said, sighing softly.

"Bulk and Skull were once big bullies. They caused a lot of trouble for their teachers, especially Ms. Applebee," Karone whispered as she raised her eyebrows.

"I honestly believe they bullied others because they were jealous of them accomplishing more than they did. They wanted to feel better about themselves and thought being bullies would help. Lt. Stone showed them there was no need for that," TJ commented, clearing his throat.

"He was instrumental in changing them. I wonder what would've happen if they had gotten partnered with a mean-spirited police officer," Ashley muttered.

"They would've likely been running around yelling their heads off," TJ said with a loud wince.

"At least they are doing very well now. They are popular sea lion trainers at the aquarium," Zhane pointed out.

"It's always funny to see Bulk and Skull doing sit-ups with the sea lions," Justin said and put his hands behind his head. He acted as if he were doing sit-ups.

"That's my favorite part of the show," Carlos commented cheerfully. "It makes me want to go up on the stage and do sit-ups with the duo." He clapped twice. "On top of that, Bulk and Skull look really cool wearing headsets."

"Enough about Bulk and Skull. Let's finish our lunch, so we can go to the park," Justin suggested.

The others voiced their agreement. They proceeded to eat the rest of their lunch. Two men dumped their trash and set their trays on top of the trashcan located next to the exit. They left the restaurant.


	20. Sweet Timing

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I've added Leo/Kendrix and Mike/Maya to the pairings list. I have confirmed Lost Galaxy characters will be appearing in this fic. I don't want anyone complaining about the ages of the characters I make any of them. Since this fic is AU, I can make them whatever age I feel will suit them best. Anyway, this chapter has Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, TJ/Cassie, Tommy/Kat, and Jason/Emily. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-one.

XXXXX

Chapter 20: Sweet Timing

A gray squirrel scurried across the grass at Angel Grove Park in the mid-afternoon. It stopped near a bush and started pawing at the ground, creating a hole. It pulled out a nut to eat. A football flew downward, scaring it off. It hit the ground and rolled until it came to a stop next to a patch of flowers. Justin approached it and picked it up. He waved to TJ and Cassie. Andros, Karone, and Carlos watched while sitting on the ground nearby. Ashley sat underneath a tree, reading _The Blue Lagoon._ Her eyes drooped a little bit, but she managed to keep them open.

"Go long, TJ!" Justin yelled.

TJ nodded at his friend and broke into a run. Justin threw the football as hard as he could. He watched it fly a long distance. TJ picked up his pace as it headed toward the ground. He held out his arms, catching it. He skidded to a halt and waved it in the air.

"Nice catch, Teej!" Justin called.

TJ winked at him. "Thanks, Justin. Start running. I'm throwing it really hard!"

TJ threw the football very hard. Justin broke into a full-blown charge. He watched it carefully. He jumped into the air, holding out his arms. He caught it and landed gracefully. TJ and Cassie ran up to him.

"That was a fantastic jump," TJ said.

"Too bad you didn't fly away," Cassie quipped and laughed quietly.

Justin turned the football around twice. "Maybe I should drive a car so fast that I fly over a hill after I get my driver's license. Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk."

TJ shook his head in disbelief. "You're weird, Justin."

"I know you are, Teej, but what am I?" Justin asked, stifling a snicker. "Anyway, go long, you two!"

TJ and Cassie stepped backward twelve paces. Justin threw the football toward them. The duo went into a run as it sailed over their heads. Cassie increased her stride and held out her arms. She caught it and came to a halt. TJ stopped beside her. They looked toward Justin.

"Here comes the bomb, Justin!" Cassie yelled.

Justin gave his friend a thumbs-up. He started running as Cassie tossed the football very hard. He upped his speed as it sailed over his head. Without warning, Zhane jumped out from behind a large boulder and caught it. He landed very gracefully. Justin came to a halt with much surprise in his eyes. TJ and Cassie joined his side, appearing just as surprised.

"Zhane, I can't believe you did that!" Justin shouted, his voice lined with annoyance.

"Hey, I had to avenge that trick you played on Cassie, Karone, and me six weeks ago, Justin," Zhane responded with a laugh. "I have to say my ability to surprise people is better than yours is."

"Yeah, right. Now, give us that football," Justin demanded in firmness.

"I will by throwing it to you," Zhane said, taking a deep breath. "You better get running!"

TJ and Cassie started running as Zhane tossed the football. They increased their speed as it sailed over their heads. They leapt for it while holding out their hands. He managed to catch it. He landed on his feet while she collided with the ground on her stomach. He gazed down at her, smirking widely.

"Oh, what's the matter, Cassie, can't get up after falling down?" TJ taunted in a playful manner.

"Yeah, and it's because of you!" Cassie yelled, showing mock anger.

He wiggled the football at her. "I should put ice cream all over this football and make you eat it."

She stood up, laughing sarcastically. "Yeah. Then you can buy another football and make me eat that one too."

TJ hit Cassie in the shoulder with the football lightly. She grabbed it out of his hand and gazed at Zhane and Justin. She heaved it at them, and they charged as it went over their heads. Justin held out his arms, catching it. He and Zhane skidded to a halt. He tossed it back to Cassie, who caught it easily. Andros, Karone, and Carlos chuckled lightly.

"I have to say that Zhane got revenge on Justin big time," Carlos said.

Karone slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. "You're telling me. This time, it involved a football." She cleared her throat.

"Look on the bright side. The football didn't turn into a squealing pig," Andros joked.

Carlos laughed as he turned to him. "You're so silly, Andros."

"You're way sillier than I am, Carlos. After all, you play more pranks on people than any of us do," Andros pointed out.

"Only because you make me," Carlos said, a smirk forming on his face.

"We don't make you pull pranks. You do that on your own," Karone growled playfully as she gazed at him.

"No, I don't," Carlos said, shaking his head rapidly.

"Yes, you do," Karone said, nodding just as fast.

"No, I don't," Carlos shouted.

"Yes, you do," Karone squealed cheerfully.

"No, I don't," Carlos blurted out.

"Okay, okay! That's enough!" Andros called, waving his hands in the air. "You both are being pains in the rear."

"Thanks for saying rear, buddy," Carlos said and glanced toward the sidewalk. "Look."

Andros looked toward the sidewalk and saw a mother and her son walking down it. Karone spotted them as well.

"Carlos is right, bro. Had you said you-know-what, that mother would've been all over you for cursing in front of her child," Karone mumbled, swallowing hard. She, Andros, and Carlos looked at each other.

"I know," Andros answered, showing a bit of nervousness.

"Everyone knows the most dangerous creature in the world a mother protecting her offspring. Under no circumstances should anyone mess with her," Karone said firmly.

"Ditto," Carlos said, snapping his fingers. He, Andros, and Karone watched Justin, Zhane, TJ, and Cassie play football once more. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. "How about we join their game?"

"I'm in," Karone agreed and looked at Andros. "Would you like to join us?"

Andros shook his head. "Not this time. I'm going to spend time with Ashley underneath the tree."

"Okay. Just don't blame her if she throws you up into the tree because you told a dumb joke," Karone quipped, standing up along with Carlos.

"The only one who tells dumb jokes here is you, sis," Andros retorted playfully.

Karone waved him off. "Whatever. Let's go, Carlos."

Carlos and Karone made their way toward their friends. The former went with Zhane and Justin. The latter joined TJ and Cassie. Cassie gave Karone the football. Karone threw it very hard. Zhane, Justin, and Carlos raced after it when it sailed over their heads. Carlos held out his hands, managing to catch it. Andros stood up and walked to Ashley, finding she was asleep with her head laying on her shoulder. He got on his knees, leaning close to her.

"Ash?" Andros whispered gently. He jerked back as she gasped in fright and woke up. She looked at him in irritation.

"Andros, don't scare me like that!" Ashley scolded and grabbed at her hair.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Andros said defensively. He became concerned quickly. "It's unusual for you to fall asleep while reading a book underneath a tree in the middle of the afternoon. Are you feeling okay?" He moved into a sitting position.

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired. That's all," Ashley responded and closed her book. She laid it aside and placed her hands in her lap.

"Are you sure you're okay? I can take you home if you need me to," Andros commented.

"Yes, I'm sure," Ashley assured while nodding.

"Are you really sure?" Andros asked.

"Yes!" Ashley snapped in some anger. "Damn it. Will you back off? I'm not a little girl, you know." She let out a loud hiss.

"Okay," Andros retorted, holding up his hands. "Geez. You didn't have to bite my head off."

Ashley's anger turned into guilt. She grabbed her forehead, squeezing her eyes shut. She opened them and looked at Andros.

"I'm sorry, Andros," she apologized. "I didn't mean to—"

"Shh. It's okay," he whispered soothingly and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

Ashley looked up at him. "I understand your concern for me, but I promise you that I am fine, despite my behavior has been strange all day."

Andros pushed her back. "No kidding. You told me you ate eight slices of bacon and two servings of eggs this morning. You put horsey sauce on your beef-n-cheddar sandwich this afternoon. You dipped your fries in that. You downed a chocolate milkshake like it was a coke. You fell asleep underneath this tree." He let go of her.

"I guess it's one of those days where weird things happen to people," Ashley suggested.

"It could be," Andros said, cupping his chin in his hand. Though he was still concerned for her, he decided not to bother her about her unusual behavior anymore. He didn't want to risk making her angry again. Just then, a thought hit him. He put his hands in his lap. "Ashley, I think it'd be a good idea for me to drive you home later. I don't want you to risk getting in an accident. TJ, Karone, and I can walk home from your house."

"Okay," Ashley answered with a nod. "Thanks for being concerned about me."

"You're welcome," Andros said lovingly. He ran his hand over her hair. "We're going to have such a good time at your aunt's cabin at Christmas."

"We sure will. The best part will be making love with you," Ashley whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. She hoped the others didn't hear that. The last thing she wanted was for them to bombard her and her boyfriend with questions about what they had been doing when they were alone.

"Oh, yeah," Andros agreed quietly and put his arm around her. "You better seduce me with that nightie again."

"Oh, I will," Ashley replied and took her head off his shoulder. She planted a kiss underneath his ear. She looked him in the eye. "I'd seduce you with it a million times if I could."

Andros smirked as he touched his girlfriend's cheek. "I'd love that."

The lovebirds shared a soft kiss, which grew passionate quickly. They wrapped their arms around each other. Ashley coaxed Andros's lips to open, and her tongue entered his mouth and touched his. She smiled against his lips at him moaning in delight. He slid his hands into her hair, grabbing fistfuls of it.

"You better break that lip lock, or we'll take care of that for you!" a male voice shouted sinisterly.

Andros and Ashley were startled and broke apart. They looked at Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily pointing their fingers in the shapes of guns at them while standing a short distance away. They rose to their feet.

"Tommy, you scared us!" Andros said, laughing nervously.

"You can put those guns away. I don't think Andros and I will be doing any more kissing," Ashley added honestly.

"You better not, or we will get you," Jason warned.

"You can count on that," Kat said with a snicker. She, Tommy, Jason, and Emily put their arms down. They walked up to their friends. "It's nice to see you two."

Ashley smiled lightly and put her hands behind her back. "You too, Kat. Is college treating you four okay?"

"It's treating us fine. There's so much to do on campus," Emily commented joyfully.

Jason put his arm around Emily. "And lots of good food to eat too."

"Just don't end up like Rocky, Jase," Emily joked, giggling quietly as she looked up at him.

"The same goes for you, Tommy," Kat said, patting Tommy's shoulder.

"Don't worry. I won't," Tommy said, gazing down at her. "By the way, don't forget we're playing a game of pool later."

"I haven't forgotten," Kat commented. "Remember the loser dances for five minutes straight."

Tommy tickled her nose. "I can't wait to see you dancing when you lose."

Kat rolled her eyes. "No way. You'll be the one dancing when you lose."

Tommy elbowed Kat in the arm, getting a slap to the back of his head from her in retaliation. He patched things up with Kim a month after receiving her breakup letter in February 1996. He and Kat started dating in July 1996. Three months before that, Jason and Emily started dating. The couples occasionally had double dates.

Tommy began racing for his Uncle John after his high school graduation. Jason, Emily, and Kat began attending Angel Grove University that August. Jason and Emily aimed for degrees in creative writing. Kat set her heart on getting one in nursing. Tommy stopped racing after a year and began attending the same university in August 1998. He decided to get a degree in teaching.

On January 18, 1999, Tommy and Kat were involved in a car crash while they were returning to campus following a date. They were going through the intersection when a driver lost control of his truck and slammed into her red Honda. He sustained cuts to his face while she suffered a fracture in her upper left arm. The driver sustained minor injuries. It took six weeks for Kat's broken arm to heal.

On April 15, Jason suffered a serious knee injury while playing Frisbee with Emily in the park. He jumped to catch it after she threw it to him. He landed badly and tore a bit of cartilage in it. Surgery was required to fix it and was scheduled for May 9. It took nearly three months for his knee to fully heal from the surgery.

Tommy waved his hand in front of Kat's face. He brought it upward, jerking it downward. She smacked him on the cheek lightly. She rushed two fingers forward, only for him to block her by holding his hand sideways in between his eyes. He pushed her hand downward. They heard laughter and looked at Jason.

"You two just had to pull that Three Stooges routine, didn't you?" Jason asked, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Oh, button your lip, Jase," Tommy growled in a playful manner.

"Okay," Jason said and pretended to button his lips together. "How's that?"

Kat stifled a snicker. "That's better."

"I have to admit you'd look really cute with your lips actually buttoned together," Emily said, giggling as she ruffled her boyfriend's hair.

"Oh, get lost, Em," Jason responded, pointing his finger in his girlfriend's face as he turned to her.

"Okay," Emily said and acted as if she were leaving. She laughed and put his arm at his side. "Of course, I'd miss you."

Jason winked at her. "Me too."

Jason ran his hand over Emily's hair. He moved it to her neck to tickle it mercilessly. She broke into a fit of laughter. He ceased his assault and ran his finger up and down her nose. Just then, TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, and Justin walked up to the group. Zhane had the football in his hand.

"Hey there, Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily," TJ greeted gleefully.

"What brings you four to the park?" Karone asked curiously.

"It was such a beautiful afternoon that we couldn't resist going for a walk in the park, Karone," Kat answered, giving a shrug. "What have all of you been up to today?"

"We had lunch at Arby's and came to the park for fun," Justin said honestly.

Jason made a slurping sound. "I love Arby's. Their roast beef sandwiches are out of this world." He pumped his fist.

"Yes, they are, Jase," Cassie said happily. "Whatever you do, don't ever start a food fight at Arby's. All the customers will end up covered in its sauce if that happens." She laughed aloud.

"I wouldn't mind being covered in Arby's sauce. Then all my friends can use their fries to clean it off me," Tommy quipped.

"Yeah. Anyway, how's high school treating all of you?" Emily wondered.

"It's treating us well. We're just waiting for Christmas Break to get here. It feels like the days are getting a little slower as it draws closer," TJ explained, feeling a little nervous.

"It does feel that way, Teej. Don't worry too much. You won't have to worry about school for two weeks after it comes," Tommy commented.

Carlos looked a little sad. "You and the rest of your college friends are lucky, Tommy. You all get to have a whole month off before you start the spring semester." He sighed heavily.

"You and your friends will get that once you start college, Carlos," Jason pointed out.

"That's true," Zhane agreed, smiling lightly.

Jason winked at his friend. Zhane tossed the football into the air, catching it easily. He repeated both actions twice.

"Ashley and I are heading up to her aunt's cabin for Christmas. We'll be staying there for four days. We spent a weekend up there back in October," Andros said, hugging Ashley.

"Oh, that's sweet," Kat cooed.

"I'm astounded your parents and aunt have no problem with you being up in a cabin with your boyfriend," Emily said, looking at Ashley in awe.

"Well, they don't," Ashley commented in happiness. "TJ's parents don't have a problem with Andros being with me up there either."

Andros sighed heavily and released his hold on Ashley. "Unfortunately, we all have a chemistry quiz in Mr. Wilton's class tomorrow. For Carlos, Cassie, and me, that means Brian will be there." He showed disgust.

Carlos swallowed hard. "I swear, he is the most obnoxious boy I have ever seen. He causes trouble wherever he goes." He hissed in irritation.

"Mr. Wilton sent him to detention for throwing paper airplanes during his lecture on chemical equations last Monday," Cassie said in some anger.

"Let's hope he doesn't cause trouble for you, Andros, and Carlos, Cassie," Jason said sympathetically.

"Yeah," Cassie agreed while nodding slowly.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Justin, Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily looked toward the sidewalk to see a mother pushing her baby son in a stroller down the sidewalk. The baby mouthed his plastic key ring. He took it out of his mouth and shook it. He squealed in much glee. The teens and young adults couldn't keep themselves from chuckling. They turned to each other.

"Now, that's a happy baby," Cassie said with pride.

"He's also adorable. I bet he'll be a handsome man when he grows up," Karone said and turned to Zhane. "Don't worry. He won't ever be as handsome as you are."

"Thanks for saying that, darling," Zhane replied and hugged Karone. He kissed her forehead before rubbing it.

"If Wolverine from X-Men smelled a baby's diaper, he wouldn't be able to handle it because the odor would be too strong due to his enhanced sense of smell," TJ said truthfully.

"I'd laugh my head off if I saw him run out of a room due to a baby's smelly diaper," Andros said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"That is if you want a haircut from his claws," Ashley pointed out and snickered loudly.

"She's got you there, buddy," Carlos said, smirking when Andros gave him a mock glare.

"Oh, get lost, Carlos," Andros responded and blew a raspberry at his friend.

"No, you get lost, Andros," Carlos said, shaking a fist at him.

"No, you," Andros retorted with a laugh.

"No, you," Carlos said, putting his arm at his side.

"Okay. That's enough," Jason called while waving his hands in the air. He placed his arms at his sides while looking at the football. "Why don't we play football instead?"

"That's a great idea, Jase," Justin said, jumping into the air with a yell. He landed gracefully.

"I second that," TJ chimed.

"So do we," Zhane, Karone, and Cassie said and pumped their fists.

"Don't forget us," Carlos and Emily added.

"No, thanks. I'm not interested in football this time," Tommy said and held up his hands.

"Me neither," Kat said, taking a deep breath.

"We aren't either," Andros and Ashley said, chuckling quietly.

"Okay," Jason said, rubbing his chin. Zhane tossed the football to him, smiling at him catching it easily. "Let's go, everyone."

TJ, Cassie, Zhane, and Karone headed for one side of the field while Jason, Emily, Justin, and Carlos went to the other one. They stopped when they were a good distance apart. Jason tossed the football hard. TJ, Cassie, Zhane, and Karone broke into a charge after it sailed over their heads. Andros and Ashley returned to their spots underneath the tree. Tommy and Kat approached them, sitting down with loud grunts. They started talking about their upcoming exams.


	21. Feeling Ill, Big Jerk, and Giving News

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just three days to get out. You should prepare yourselves. One of the Lost Galaxy characters will be making its first appearance in the next chapter. I decided to take out any mention of Leo, Mike, and Maya in chapter twenty. I felt it wasn't working right. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-two.

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Chapter 21: Feeling Ill/Big Jerk/Giving News

Ashley was brushing her hair in the Hammond residence's upstairs bathroom in the early morning the next day. She finished that and laid the brush next to the sink. She listened to heavy rain splattering against the house. She saw lightning light up the hallway in the mirror. A loud thunderclap came right after that, followed by a quieter one.

She grabbed a ponytail holder off the counter. She pulled her hair back with both hands. She put the holder over the ponytail four times. She twirled her finger around her bangs, making them curly. She slipped locks of hair behind her ears. She looked very satisfied with her work. She saw lightning light up the hallway in the mirror once more. Another loud thunderclap sounded a second later, and a quieter one came right after.

Suddenly, she began to get a queasy feeling in her stomach. She covered her mouth with her hand and bolted for the toilet. She lifted the lid very quickly. She bent over and threw up some of what she ate for breakfast while grabbing the edges of the seat. She squeezed her eyes shut. She opened them, throwing up a little more.

She panted heavily until she caught her breath. She tried to rise to her full height, but she couldn't and threw up the rest of her stomach contents. She breathed hard, touching the top of her head. She managed to catch her breath and flushed the toilet. She stood up slowly and walked to the sink, her body shaking somewhat. Just then, Anna came up beside her.

"Ashley, are you okay? I heard you getting sick as I came up the stairs," Anna said with much concern.

"I'll be okay, Mom, but I'm not feeling good at all," Ashley answered, shuddering badly. She turned on the water and gathered some in her hand. She put it in her mouth. She swished it around before spitting it out. She switched it off. "I think I picked up that stomach flu that's been going around at Arby's yesterday."

Anna ran her hand over her daughter's hair. "Most likely. It stinks when it strikes very suddenly."

Ashley swallowed hard. "No kidding. I wish there was a way to cure viruses, but there isn't." She sighed heavily while touching her forehead. "One thing is clear. There is no way I am going to school today."

"You got that right, darling," Ashton said, tying his red tie as he walked into the bathroom. He stopped next to his wife.

"How much did you hear of that?" Anna asked, looking at her husband.

"Every word. Your voices were so loud that you might as well have woken up the owls and raccoons that are sleeping after a long night of looking for food," Ashton answered. He tightened his tie after he finished tying it.

"Don't joke around. Your daughter isn't in the mood for comedy right now," Anna scolded in some anger.

"Sorry," Ashton said, holding up his hands. "You didn't have to bite my head off." He let out a loud sigh as he lowered them.

"It doesn't matter now," Anna said, waving him off. "Call the school, and tell them Ashley won't be coming in today."

Ashton nodded at her. "Okay."

Ashley and Anna watched him leave. The former took a deep breath as the latter touched her shoulder.

"You better go lie down and rest. I'll bring you some water," Anna said comfortingly.

"Thanks," Ashley whispered, licking her lips. "I hope I feel better enough to go to school tomorrow. I hate missing it, especially since I had a quiz today. On top of that, it's so close to mid-terms."

"I hope you get better too. Anyway, you go lie down," Anna said, patting the girl's shoulder. "I'll get your water."

"Thanks," Ashley whispered with a small nod. "I love you."

"I love you too," Anna responded, winking at her.

Ashley watched her mother leave. She made her way toward her room, closing the door once she got inside. She went to the bed and took her backpack and umbrella off it. She laid them on the floor before sitting down. She laid on her side, facing the window. She put her arm behind her pillow as she observed a northern mockingbird shaking water from its body while perched on the windowsill.

She swallowed hard as she pieced together the instances of her unusual behavior in her mind. Her increased hunger, cravings for foods she usually didn't eat, falling asleep at an unusual time, and getting sick were pointing to the likelihood that she was pregnant. She didn't trust home pregnancy tests due to false positive and false negatives. She wanted a doctor to confirm her suspicions because she knew the same symptoms could be the result of another condition.

She choked back a sob as she thought about her possible pregnancy. She knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to take care of a child while she attended Angel Grove University. She didn't want to think about how her parents and friends would react to this situation. The same went for her grandparents, grandfather Ben, grandmother Kayla, and grandfather Gerald Humphrey, especially since they were planning to come in for Christmas.

Her thoughts drifted to Andros. She feared that he would react badly to this situation, possibly even dump her. She didn't want to lose him after all they had been through together. Of course, she knew she couldn't force him to be part of her life or the baby's if he decided not to be. The prospect of raising their child alone still unnerved her.

She started thinking about the teachers and students. She had no doubt many would judge her and Andros for this. It made her angry they did that to teen parents. One bright spot was Angel Grove High School had a teen parent program that she and Andros could enroll in, so they could be excused from classes for doctor's appointments and such. That was if his reaction to the situation wasn't bad.

She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to push her thoughts out of her mind. She opened them when she heard knocking. She sat up slowly and swung her legs over the side. She pulled the holder out of her hair, allowing it to fall on her back. She looked toward the door.

"Come in," Ashley said, sighing to herself. The door opened slightly, and Ashton popped his head in. "Hi, Dad."

"I just called Mr. Kaplan about your illness. He told me to tell you that he hoped you felt better," Ashton answered.

"Thank you," Ashley whispered, smiling lightly. "If I don't see you again before you leave, I hope you have a good day."

"Thank you. Get lots of rest," Ashton said and winked at her.

"I will," Ashley commented. She watched him go out and close the door lightly. She laid on her back and put her hands behind her head.

00000

Heavy rain was still falling as students entered Angel Grove High School an hour later. Cassie went through the front doors wielding her umbrella. She opened and closed it three times, ridding it of excess water. She closed it all the way. A student bumped into her without excusing himself. An irritated look formed on her face.

"Hey, you jerk!" she shouted angrily. "You're supposed to say, 'Excuse me!'"

Cassie made her way toward her locker. She saw that Ashley wasn't at hers. She was surprised as it wasn't like her best friend to not be there. She wondered if the girl had gotten sick due to the stomach flu going around or was running late. She stopped at her locker and opened it. She reached in, grabbing her chemistry book. She placed her umbrella inside before closing it with a loud slam.

She turned around and leaned her back against her locker. She hoped she would do well on her quiz. She wondered if she studied the chemical equations enough. She couldn't let that bother her. She was startled when she heard a wolf-whistle. She looked toward Johnny, who stood next to the stairs. She hissed in irritation.

"Hey there, Cassie," he said.

"Johnny, don't you know it's rude to wolf-whistle at women?" she asked seriously.

"I don't care," Johnny replied, walking up to her. "I'll wolf-whistle at women as much as I want." He put his hand above her as he looked toward Ashley's locker. "Where's Ashley? Is she running late?"

"Probably. You're out of luck in trying to ask her out on yet another date," Cassie retorted with determination.

Johnny ran his tongue over his teeth. "I am going to get that date with her one of these days. I deserve it."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You don't deserve anything, except a bunch of huge hits to your ego. It's the size of Jupiter."

"She's right about that," a male voice said firmly.

Johnny and Cassie looked toward Andros, who stood a short distance away. Andros walked toward them, stopping next to her.

"Well, well, if it isn't the alien boy. Why don't you just go back to where you belong?" Johnny sneered as he removed his hand from Cassie's locker and placed it at his side.

"My home planet may be KO-35, but Earth is my permanent place of residence. There is no way in hell that I am ever making a permanent move back to where I came from," Andros said calmly.

Johnny scoffed. "You should because you don't belong here. Earth is for Earthlings only. It's not for aliens."

Andros tightened the strap on his backpack as it hung over his shoulder. "I'm not an alien. I'm a full-blooded human. I just happen to have telekinesis. I doubt you could ever learn to master it."

"Why would I want to? It's a stupid power, anyway," Johnny leered.

"No, it's not. It's a cool power. It gave you a taste of your own medicine when you bothered us in the park that day," Cassie growled as she glared at Johnny, who turned to her.

"All courtesy of Karone," Andros added proudly. "Moreover, you deserved it big time." He emitted a soft hiss.

"You might want to wear shoes that don't have shoelaces. You don't want to trip over your own feet again, do you?" Cassie asked.

"No, but I am not giving up wearing shoes with shoelaces. Those with straps suck big time," Johnny answered with a soft growl.

"Then wear shoes without laces or straps. There are plenty of those available at shoe stores," Andros commented and loosened his grip on the strap.

Cassie furrowed her brow. "He's right. Then again, you could always go barefoot."

"Never," Johnny hissed, flaring his nostrils. He gave Andros a menacing glare. "Enjoy your time with Ashley, alien boy. I'll be dating her one of these days."

"Keep dreaming, Johnny. It isn't going to happen," Andros responded, fierceness showing in his voice. "Ashley is not interested in you!"

"She will be one day, Andros Parker," Johnny declared, pointing his finger in his rival's face. "She will."

Johnny put his arm at his side. He turned and walked toward the stairs. He moved aside as TJ, Zhane, Karone, Justin, and Carlos came around the corner. He rushed upstairs as they approached Andros and Cassie.

"Goodness. Johnny is in a rush," TJ commented honestly.

"He'd better watch where he is going. He's liable to bump into someone," Karone said seriously.

"Don't expect him to excuse himself when he does," Zhane added, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," Andros agreed with a slow nod. A flash of lightning lit up the window at the stairs, causing him and the others to look toward it. A thunderclap followed suit. "I don't think the rain is going to be ending anytime soon."

"Unfortunately," Cassie muttered, feeling somewhat tense. "On top of that, Ashley is going to be late. That is if she is coming."

"Being late is so unlike her. So is missing school," Justin said, scratching his head and biting his lip.

"Unfortunately, Ashley _is_ going to be missing school today, Justin," a male voice said grimly.

Andros, TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Justin, and Carlos turned around to see Mr. Kaplan walking toward them. The principal stopped before them.

"Hi, Mr. Kaplan," Carlos greeted.

"Hi yourself, Carlos. I got a call from Ashley's father not too long ago. She is sick with the stomach flu and decided to stay home," Mr. Kaplan responded, sighing heavily.

"Oh, no," Andros muttered sadly.

"I know, Andros. I wish it wasn't true, but it is," Mr. Kaplan commented and put his hands behind his back. "I've already let her teachers know about her illness."

"Do you think she'll be well enough to return to school tomorrow?" Cassie wondered in uncertainty.

"I don't know, Cassie, but I do hope so," Mr. Kaplan said truthfully. He looked at his watch. "It won't be long before the bell rings." He returned his attention to the teens. "You all should get to your classes, especially Andros, Carlos, and Cassie. You three have a quiz in Mr. Wilton's class this morning, right?"

"Yes, sir," Carlos answered. "We studied a lot."

"So did the rest of us. For when we have it later, that is," Justin added.

"Good," Mr. Kaplan commented. "I'll see you all later."

Mr. Kaplan turned around and walked away. Andros, TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin looked at each other.

"Let's quit standing around and get to our classes. What do you guys say?" TJ asked. He smiled at the others voicing their agreement. "Great."

"I need to go to the bathroom first," Cassie said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the restrooms.

"Okay," Andros replied, rubbing his nose. "Carlos and I will see you in a few minutes."

Andros and Carlos headed upstairs. Cassie walked to the women's restroom, entering the second door on her right. Zhane and Karone went left. TJ and Justin headed right.


	22. Getting a Little Crazy

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-two of "Not Here." I am so happy it took just two days to get it out. I am on a roll here. Anyway, a character from Lost Galaxy makes its first appearance in it. I changed the time in the second scene of chapter twenty-one to an hour after the first one. I felt that was better for it. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-three.

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Chapter 22: Getting a Little Crazy

Cassie headed upstairs six minutes later. She turned right when she reached the top and walked down the hallway. She entered the fourth classroom on her left, which happened to be Mr. Wilton's. The large classroom had twenty desks with four rows of five each. Most of the desks were empty.

Cassie stopped at the second desk in the fourth row and set her book and notebook on it. She took her backpack off her shoulders and put on the chair. She seated herself and opened her notebook. Chuckling caught her attention. She looked toward Andros and Carlos, who sat at the second and third desks in the second row.

"It took you long enough to get here, Cassie," Andros said.

Carlos smirked. "What were you doing, fixing your makeup?"

"No, but I did run into Bianca in there. She said the braid my mom did for me looked ugly. I told her she had a lot of nerve to say that when her hateful attitude made her ugly. She raised her hand and was about to slap me when Ms. Applebee walked in. She lowered it and started whistling," Cassie answered, rolling her eyes.

"If we know Bianca, it's likely she will end up in detention for causing trouble in her first class as usual," Andros said.

Cassie emitted a small laugh. "We should mail her a postcard."

"That'd be nice," a male voice said cheerfully.

Andros, Carlos, and Cassie spotted Leo making his way toward the second row. Leo went to the desk behind Carlos and set his chemistry book and notebook on it. He removed his backpack from his shoulders and put it on the back of the chair. He sat down with a quiet grunt. Andros, Carlos, and Cassie looked at him.

"I hope you guys feel ready for this quiz. I do," Leo said confidently.

"All three of us feel we are ready, Leo," Andros said, laying his arm on top of his chair.

"It'll only be five chemical equations. It shouldn't take long to do them at all," Carlos added.

"That's still plenty of time to think about those equations," a male voice said.

Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo hissed loudly. They looked toward Brian, who waved at them as he headed toward the desk behind Cassie. He removed his duffel bag from his shoulder and laid it on the floor. He slammed his chemistry book and notebook on his desk, startling the quartet. He sat down, a smirk crossing his face. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo glared at him.

"You need to mind your own business, Brian," Andros said and scoffed in annoyance.

"We weren't talking to you," Carlos added.

Brian chuckled. "Who cares if you weren't? I love listening to people talk." He opened and closed his mouth without making any sounds.

"You are so nosy that you might as well be Pinocchio," Carlos muttered.

"In fact, I think your nose has grown a little bit," Leo commented.

"Oh, that's going to make me cry, Mr. Corbett," Brian taunted, his lower lip quivering.

Carlos became very serious. "Just shut your mouth. We don't want to hear any more of it."

"Too bad. I'll keep it open!" Brian replied and laughed loudly.

Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo looked ahead and shook their heads in disbelief. They wished they could make Brian disappear. Of course, they knew that was impossible. At least they could take comfort in the fact that Mr. Wilton didn't tolerate cheating on quizzes and tests. They imagined themselves watching Brian hand in his quiz if he was caught with smirks on their faces.

The quartet snapped out of their thoughts when the bell rang. The last of the students rushed into the classroom and took their seats. Mr. Wilton came in and closed the door behind him, its hinges squeaking somewhat. He approached his desk and placed his briefcase on it.

"Good morning, class," Mr. Wilton greeted.

"Good morning, Mr. Wilton," the students responded.

Mr. Wilton opened his briefcase. "As you know, today is our quiz on chemical equations. I want everyone to clear their desks, except for a pencil." He grabbed the worksheets as the students cleared their desks and got out pencils. "I hope you are all ready for this quiz."

"I know I am. I have wonder if some other students are," Brian said, glancing at Andros, Carlos, and Leo, who rolled their eyes.

"Oh, get lost, Brian," Leo retorted.

Brian hissed fiercely and balled his hand into a fist. "No, you get lost."

"All right, that's enough," Mr. Wilton warned.

"Sorry, sir," Leo and Brian said, looking at their teacher.

"Thank you," Mr. Wilton said and went to each row to hand stacks of worksheets to them. "I want you all to do your best on this quiz. You will have ten minutes to complete it. I will set the timer once you've all gotten your quizzes."

The teacher watched the students hand the worksheets back until all of them had one. He went to his desk and got his timer from the bottom left drawer after opening it. He set it to ten minutes before setting it in front of him. He sat in his chair and saw everyone start on his or her quiz. He opened the lower right drawer and grabbed _Born Free_ from it. He opened it and proceeded to read.

Brian looked toward Andros, Carlos, and Leo. He turned his attention to Cassie, a mischievous smile crossing his face. He used his pencil to play with her braid. He took it away when she tried to grab it. He chuckled and poked her shoulder with it. She flinched, but she remained focused on her worksheet. He gave her other shoulder a poke. She hissed in frustration and peered over her shoulder at him.

"Stop bothering me, Brian," Cassie demanded.

"I didn't do anything," Brian replied innocently.

Cassie emitted an angry growl. "Don't give me that. You were playing with my braid and poking my shoulders with your pencil."

"No, I wasn't," Brian said, shaking his head.

"Yes, you were," Andros called.

"Andros and I saw you," Carlos added.

"So did I," Leo said, swallowing hard.

Brian glared at the trio. "Butt out, you three!"

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, Brian, stop talking this instant," Mr. Wilton commanded sternly as he looked up.

"Sorry, sir," the five students said.

Mr. Wilton resumed reading. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian returned their attention to their worksheets. Brian smiled mischievously again and was about to poke Cassie's shoulder with his pencil when he heard clearing throats. He glared at Andros, Carlos, and Leo.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Brian," Andros warned.

"Cassie told you to leave her alone," Carlos added.

"She really meant it," Leo said fiercely.

"Oh, shut up, you three," Brian hissed in annoyance.

"You better do what those boys say," Cassie said, peering at him in the corner of her eye.

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, Brian, stop talking right now. If I hear another word, you will get an automatic F and go to detention. Is that clear?" Mr. Wilton said seriously, as he looked up once more.

"Yes, sir," the five students responded.

Mr. Wilton rubbed his forehead as Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian went back to work. Andros looked at Brian. He wanted to use his telekinesis to take Brian's pencil from him so badly. Unfortunately, he knew it would make him yell out and get Mr. Wilton's attention, which would likely get both of them sent to detention. He decided to focus on his worksheet.

Brian stopped writing and gazed at Cassie. Another mischievous smile formed on his face. He was about to use his pencil to play with her braid when she turned around and grabbed it. She pulled it right out of his hand and waved it at him, which irritated him.

"Ha. I caught you this time," Cassie said.

"Lucky you," Brian muttered and took the pencil away. He slapped her in the back of her head. "You always have to ruin my fun."

Cassie became angry. She wanted to hit him back, but she decided not to. "Your idea of fun is bothering people. Now, leave me alone!"

Brian punched her in the shoulder. "No."

"Brian, she said for you to leave her alone!" Andros yelled.

"You better listen to her!" Carlos growled.

"She really meant it!" Leo said.

"Oh, shut your traps!" Brian said, gazing at the boys.

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, Brian, turn in your quizzes right now. You're going to detention for the rest of the period," Mr. Wilton yelled, slamming his hand on his desk as Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian glanced at him.

"But, sir—" Leo started.

"No buts, Leo. You five kept talking and have to pay the price. Turn in your quizzes, and go to detention!" Mr. Wilton commanded angrily.

Andros mouthed 'Damn it.' He, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian stood up. The first four grabbed their backpacks and put them over their shoulders. The last got his bag and slipped it over his shoulder. They got their worksheets, books, and notebooks. They approached the desk to give Mr. Wilton their worksheets. They watched him write on pink slips. They left the classroom after they received them.

00000

Brian and Cassie walked down the hallway. Andros, Carlos, and Leo were close behind them. All five of them watched two boys pass them. Cassie hugged her book and notebook against her chest. She heard chuckling and glared at Brian, who wiggled his eyebrows. She made a disgusted face.

"I had so much fun bothering you. It landed you, Andros, Carlos, Leo, and me in detention," Brian said proudly.

"Brian, I have never gotten a detention in my life. I will never forgive you for this," Cassie said firmly.

Brian laughed. "So what if you never forgive me? At least you got your first detention. After all, there's a first time for everything." He turned his nose upward.

"I wouldn't hold that nose so high if I were you," Cassie warned.

"Too bad. I will hold it as high as I want to," Brian answered, putting his hand on his side.

Cassie hissed in annoyance. "Then I hope your neck gets sore from that."

Cassie slowed down her walking, which allowed Andros, Carlos, and Leo to catch up to her. They heard Brian sing Phil Collins's _One More Night_ off-key. They became very disgusted.

"Jeez. Could someone take away that guy's voice, so we can't hear him sing?" Carlos growled bitterly.

"He gets worse every time we hear him," Andros muttered, appearing about ready to go over and punch Brian.

"Look on the bright side. He'd be booed right off the stage if he sang in a singing competition," Cassie pointed out.

"I'd love to see that," Andros said joyfully.

"Me too," Leo added. "Of course, it's likely he'd flip everyone off for not 'appreciating' his voice."

Cassie gave a shrug. She, Andros, Carlos, and Leo watched Brian snap his fingers. She loosened her grip on her book and notebook a little bit before looking at the boys.

"Guys, thanks for coming to my defense. I really appreciate it," Cassie said.

"You're welcome, Cass, " Andros said and nodded slowly.

Cassie showed a bit of guilt. "I'm sorry it landed the three of you in detention."

"It's not your fault," Carlos responded with a shake of his head. "It's Brian's. He started the whole thing and wouldn't let up." He acted as if he were spitting at the floor.

"By the way, who cares if we ended up getting detention? We managed to stop Brian from bothering you," Leo pointed out.

"It took a lot of courage for you three to come to my defense. Many students don't want to risk getting detention for disrupting the class," Cassie whispered, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I don't blame them, but someone has to step up to the plate eventually," Andros commented.

"Annoying someone can't go on forever," Carlos said in seriousness.

Leo nodded. "That's right."

Brian stopped snapping his fingers as the group headed downstairs and turned right. Leo tapped Cassie's shoulder, causing her to look at him.

"Hear this, Cassie. If Brian starts bothering you in detention, we'll protect you," Leo said determinedly.

"Thanks," Cassie said and winked at the boys, whom responded in kind and got a smile from her. They and Brian continued going down the hallway.

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Forty-five-year-old Julianne Rogers sat at her desk in detention. Being Asian, she was quite tanned. She was petite with a somewhat muscular frame. Her long, straight black hair was up in a bun with a few strands sticking out. Her eyes were hazel. Her face had no wrinkles whatsoever. She chewed gum and blew a large bubble in it. She popped it and used her tongue to get it back in her mouth.

Julianne looked around the medium-sized classroom, which had sixteen desks arranged in four rows with four in each one. Bianca read a magazine while sitting in the second desk in the first row. She and Julianne gazed at the door when they heard it open. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian walked in. They approached Julianne after Andros closed the door.

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, I'm surprised to see you four in detention," Julianne said.

"No thanks to Brian. He kept bothering me. Andros, Carlos, and Leo defended me from him," Cassie explained as she, Andros, Carlos, Leo, and Brian handed the teacher their slips.

Brian smirked smugly. "They did a lousy job of it."

"That's what you think," Carlos said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, are you challenging me?" Brian taunted.

Andros became somewhat angry. "You better watch it if you know what's good for you, Brian."

"Okay. That's enough," Julianne said, waving her hands in the air. "Brian, you will sit in front of my desk where I can keep an eye on you. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, you can sit wherever you want as long as it isn't near Brian."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Brian yelled rudely.

"It is as every bit fair," Julianne said, looking over the slips. "You started this whole mess." She glared at Brian. "Now, I will finish it by watching you closely. Go to your seat."

Brian mumbled inaudible words as he went to the first desk in the second row. He put his books and notebook under his desk and his bag on the floor. Andros headed for the third desk in the third row. Carlos approached the desk behind him. Cassie claimed the fourth desk in the fourth row. Leo got the desk in front of her. All four of them seated themselves after putting their books and notebooks under their desks and their backpacks on the floor. Brian peered over his shoulder at them, narrowing his eyes at them. He heard chuckling and shifted his attention toward Bianca.

"Look at you. You have to sit in an assigned seat while those four don't," Bianca said, jerking her thumb in the direction of Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo.

"What do you want, Bianca?" Brian snapped.

"Ooh. Getting snippy, aren't we?" Bianca taunted.

"The only snippy one I see here is you," Brian retorted annoyingly.

"And I'm proud to be snippy," Bianca said.

"Whatever. Just shut up, and leave me alone," Brian warned sternly.

"As you wish," Bianca said, winking at him.

Brian rolled his eyes and decided to get his notebook. He laid it on his desk. He opened it and proceeded to read his chemistry notes. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo observed him closely. Bianca resumed reading her magazine.

"If there's one good thing about being in here, it's that quiz won't count toward our final grade," Andros whispered in relief.

"Yeah," Carlos said.

"That quiz may not count toward our final grade, but my parents won't be too happy when I tell them I had detention today," Cassie muttered sadly.

Carlos became a little tense. "Neither will my parents."

"Nor will my parents," Leo said, swallowing hard.

Andros swallowed hard. "The same goes for TJ's parents."

"Then again, getting detention is better than being suspended," Cassie pointed out.

"Some students think out-of-school suspension is vacation time for them," Carlos said, scoffing to himself. "Reality slaps them in the face when their parents make them work somewhere as punishment." He propped his head up with his elbow. "They deserve it."

"Yep. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime," Cassie said bluntly.

Leo nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo looked toward Julianne, who was listening to Celine Dion's _Because You Loved Me_ on headphones attacked to a portable CD player and mouthing along to it. They sighed in relief.

"At least Ms. Rogers is not singing out loud. She knows she's not good at it," Andros whispered, licking his lips.

"Cassie may be a great singer, but you won't see her singing out loud because she knows it's rude," Carlos said, gesturing toward Cassie.

Leo turned around to face Cassie, curiosity showing in his eyes. "How long have you been singing, Cassie?"

"For most of my life, Leo. My parents first noticed my beautiful singing voice when I was five years old. I was singing _London Bridge is Falling Down._ They were blown away by it," Cassie explained, happiness radiating from her face. "At age ten, I told them I hoped to break into the music industry when I got older. I am not sure if I will be pursuing a music career or attending college after graduation."

"Oh, that's nice," Leo said with a small smile. "There's something I want to tell you three."

Andros leaned forward, as did Carlos. "What, Leo?"

"I was there when TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Ashley, and Zhane revealed they were the Power Rangers and morphed in front of everyone. My older brother, Mike, was too," Leo explained.

"Wow," Cassie said in awe. "How much older is your brother than you are?"

"Mike is three years older than I am," Leo answered with a small chuckle. "He's a sophomore at Angel Grove University. We spent lots of time together when we were kids. We don't do that as much now. He's been dating a girl named Maya since the beginning of the fall semester. She's not from Earth. She is from a jungle planet called Mirinoi. She switched places with a girl named Elsa Carver, who is pursuing a degree in creative writing. She arrived on Earth a month before the semester started and moved in with Elsa's parents, so she could get used to living here. She had little trouble adjusting to the culture. This is despite the people of Mirinoi live a mainly simple life and don't rely on technology, though they have had contact with it. I like her. She's sweet and adorable."

"It's so cool that you know someone in the planet exchange program," Carlos said, a big smile showing on his face.

"Well, you learn something new every day," Leo said honestly.

Andros, Carlos, and Cassie voiced their agreement. Andros ran his hand over his hair and put it in his lap.

"It stinks that Ashley contracted the stomach flu after she spent yesterday afternoon with TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Justin, and me," Andros muttered sadly.

"Ashley got sick?" Leo asked worryingly.

"Unfortunately. It's likely she picked up the stomach flu at Arby's. We ate lunch there. Everyone knows restaurants are filled with germs," Carlos said.

"Some get so dirty that cockroaches crawl everywhere," Cassie mumbled, shuddering in disgust.

"Yuck. Anyway, I hope Ashley feels better. The whole school is aware of your relationship with her, Andros," Leo commented.

"I know. I hear people talk about it all the time, Leo. Many approve of it. Others don't, mostly because I'm from another world. We can't make everyone like it. Anyway, I plan to call Ashley and see how she is doing before I eat lunch. That's the best time to use the pay phone," Andros said.

"So true," Leo agreed. He listened to Andros talk about the time he learned Astronema was Karone.

00000

The bell rang forty minutes later. Students started filing out of the classrooms. Many went to their lockers while others headed for their next classes. Andros, Carlos, and Cassie walked out of detention and went left. Brian, Bianca, and Leo took off for the right. Leo looked over his shoulder at Andros, Carlos, and Cassie.

"It was nice talking to you three," Leo said.

"It was nice talking to you too, Leo," Andros said as he, Carlos, and Cassie peered over their shoulders at him. They returned their attention to the hallway.

"I hope I never get another detention," Cassie muttered and straightened her book, notebook, and the left strap of her backpack.

"None of us do, Cass," Carlos admitted.

"Look at the bright side. Brian didn't cause us any more trouble," Andros said, his voice showing relief.

Cassie smiled lightly. "All thanks to Ms. Rogers making him sit in front of her where she could watch him."

"It was nice seeing the annoyed expression on his face every time he looked at us. He knew he couldn't move because he risked being sent to the office," Carlos commented, laughing to himself.

Andros scratched the back of his neck. "It reminds me of that chemistry test we took last month. Mr. Wilton scolded Brian for flunking it and told him he would be spending a long time in detention for it. Brian looked so angry."

"What do you expect when you don't study, a medal?" Cassie quipped.

Carlos laughed sarcastically. "Let's give one to the next student who flunks a test." He moved his eyebrows up and down.

"I'll provide the celebratory music," Andros said, making the sound of a trombone.

Carlos and Cassie started laughing aloud. They became quiet as they and Andros headed toward TJ, Zhane, Karone, and Justin, who were gathered at the stairs. TJ and Justin were seated on the stairs. Zhane and Karone stood next to the trashcan. The group turned to see Andros, Carlos, and Cassie stopping before them. Surprised expressions formed on everyone's faces.

"Bro, why were you, Carlos, and Cassie coming from that way?" Karone wondered, gesturing in the direction of her friends and brother had come.

"Let me guess. You guys got detention, didn't you?" Zhane asked, cringing somewhat.

"Unfortunately," Carlos answered truthfully.

"It was Brian's fault. He started bothering Cassie during our quiz. Carlos, Leo, and I told him to stop. Mr. Wilton caught us and sent all five of us to detention," Andros explained, scoffing in irritation.

Justin raised his eyebrows. "You're talking about Leo Corbett, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Andros said with a nod. "You can't stand up for anyone who is being harassed in class without risk of getting in trouble." He kicked the floor in frustration. "It's not right."

"At least you stood up for Cassie. That's what really matters," Karone said gently.

"Yes, but I wish it didn't have to result in getting thrown into detention, sis. That place is for troublemakers like Brian and Bianca," Andros said.

"Bianca was in there?" Zhane asked curiously.

Cassie nodded slowly. "Yes, but she didn't cause us any trouble. In fact, we heard her laugh at Brian having to sit in front of Ms. Rogers." She smirked.

"He deserved it," Carlos said in bluntness.

"Ditto," Andros and Cassie agreed.

The trio gave each other high-fives while chuckling in delight. The others couldn't help but smile at them.

"We got to sit wherever we wanted as long as it wasn't near Brian. We took the opportunity to talk to Leo and get to know him a little better," Cassie said with pride. "His brother, Mike, attends Angel Grove University and has a girlfriend named Maya, who is from Mirinoi."

"Cool," Justin said, his voice showing amazement.

"It's nice to know your detention wasn't bad. Ms. Rogers is great at watching students in there," TJ said, holding up a finger.

"Yeah," Andros agreed. "However, our families won't be too happy about us getting detention."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that. After all, detention is better than suspension, right?" Karone asked.

"Right," Andros, Carlos, and Cassie responded.

Karone winked at her friends and brother. She crossed her left foot over her right and tapped the toe of her white tennis shoe on the floor. TJ and Justin stood up with light grunts.

"I can tell you this. If Ms. Rogers were an owl, she'd turn her head completely around and scare the troublemakers in detention silly!" Zhane said cheerfully.

Cassie couldn't keep herself from laughing. "It'd be a delight to see them jump out of their seats."

Andros snickered under his breath. "I bet they'd pee their pants too."

"Ooh. Wouldn't that be a pretty sight?" a female voice said in sarcasm.

The group tensed and looked toward seventeen-year-old Tara Vicks standing a short distance away. Being Caucasian, Tara was rather tanned. She was tall for a woman. She was lean and had short, straight blond hair that was curly at the ends. Her eyes were hazel. She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at the group.

"How long have you been standing there, Tara?" Karone demanded.

"Long enough to hear that Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo had detention together," Tara answered as she walked up to everyone. "I have to say it was about time that all of you got detention. You're such goody two-shoes like your friends here."

Cassie hissed. "It's better being a goody two-shoes than making fun of people who aren't as fortunate as you are!"

"Oh, what a witty comeback! Should I give you a trophy for that?" Tara leered.

"I don't care about trophies, but I do care about the fact that you're wasting your life looking down on other people," Cassie retorted.

"I'm not wasting my life," Tara answered with a shake of her head. "I'm making it clear to people like you that you're nothing without money. You're all destined to be losers for the rest of your lives." She emitted a fierce growl.

"The only one who's going to be a loser here is you, Tara," Karone said in a blunt manner.

"Do tell, Karone. By the way, where is Ashley? I thought she'd be with you all," Tara said mockingly.

"She's home sick. She has the stomach flu," Andros responded.

Tara laughed sarcastically. "I'll send her a get-well card."

Andros took deep breaths to keep himself calm. He wanted to go over and scream in Tara's face so badly. Of course, he knew that was what she wanted. He decided not to bother.

"Nevertheless, Karone is right about you being the real loser here. You can't even keep your grades up. No college would accept you if you decided you wanted to attend," TJ commented seriously.

"So what if no college accepts me? Daddy will be able to give me a job at his computer company. I'll still be making tons of money," Tara said.

"Only because you'll demand to be paid more than everyone is," Karone growled angrily.

"At least I'll be making way more than you will when you become a tiger trainer as I've heard other students talk about, Karone. What a stupid job," Tara sneered.

"A tiger trainer is far from being a stupid job. It's a wonderful one. I'll be teaching people about tigers, including social, hunting, and reproductive behaviors. I'll get to touch these beautiful cats," Karone said defiantly.

Andros exhaled sharply. "I bet those tigers would walk away from you if they saw you at the glass."

"They don't like rude people," Cassie said.

"If anyone is rude here, it's all of you. You have no respect for rich people," Tara retorted with a hiss.

"We have loads of respect for rich people, especially when they work hard for their money," Karone replied. "We don't have respect for snobs like you. You're just as bad as Veronica is, if not worse." She appeared ready to go over to Tara and punch her in the face.

"You better watch yourself, Tara. What goes around comes around. It's called bad karma," TJ warned.

Tara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."

Tara turned on her heel to walk away. She snapped her fingers while singing Celine Dion's _To Love You More_ way off-key. Cassie shook her head in disbelief.

"Her singing voice is even worse than Brian's is," Cassie said.

"Oh, yeah," Karone agreed. "If they and Veronica sang near windows, they'd shatter them."

"Opera singers are way better than they are," Cassie said and imitated an opera singer.

"Let's see if you can shatter windows, Cassie," TJ joked.

"No way, TJ," Cassie answered while shaking her head.

The group shared a laugh. It became quiet when students started staring at it. Cassie looked at her watch and whistled quietly.

"Guys, we should get to our next classes. I don't want to get detention for a second time today," Cassie said.

"Neither do Andros and I," Carlos agreed.

"See you, guys," Cassie responded and went to her locker. Andros and Carlos headed down the hallway in front of the stairs. TJ and Justin walked right. Zhane and Karone went left.


	23. Checking In and Simple Talk

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-three of "Not Here." I am glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has a little bit of Zhane/Karone. It's possible another Lost Galaxy character will be making its first appearance in the next one. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-four.

XXXXX

Chapter 23: Checking In/Simple Talk

Light rain fell on the Hammond residence just after noon. Ashley was filling the glass Anna had given her this morning with water in the kitchen. She stopped when it was nearly full. She walked to the counter, where a ham-and-cheese sandwich, chips, and half of an apple lay on a plate. A napkin was beside her lunch. She picked both of them up and went into the living room, singing a scat.

She sat on the couch with a light grunt. She sipped her water before setting it on the end table. She laid her napkin in her lap, followed by her plate. She picked up the remote and turned on the TV. The _Little House on the Prairie_ episode called "The Lord is My Shepherd" came on. The title showed on the screen. She laid the remote on the coffee table.

She grabbed her sandwich and bit into it. She chewed slowly but surely and swallowed with a quiet gulp. She put it down. She popped a chip into her mouth, chewing at the same speed and swallowing. She picked up her water to take a sip. She set it down, clearing her throat. She pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

Ashley crossed her left ankle over her right. She was glad she hadn't gotten sick since early this morning. In fact, she had felt hungry enough to eat three peanut-butter-and-cracker sandwiches by mid-morning. The possibility of her being pregnant wasn't far from her mind. She felt tempted to go to the drug store and get a home pregnancy test, so she could find out if she was. At the same time, she feared reading it wrong. Her parents had called one after the other to check on her over an hour ago. She talked with each of them for a little bit.

She jumped in fright when the cordless phone started ringing loudly. She looked toward at in annoyance. She couldn't believe her lunch had been interrupted. If the caller happened to be one of her parents, she was going to give them a piece of her mind as she didn't like when they became overbearing to the point where they called her every thirty minutes during times of illness. She set her plate and napkin on the coffee table. She scooted over to the phone and picked it up on the third ring. She turned it on before putting it to her ear.

"Hello?" Ashley said softly.

 _"Hey, Ashley,"_ Andros answered sweetly.

"Hi, Andros. What are you doing calling my house?" Ashley wondered.

 _"I wanted to see how you were doing. Mr. Kaplan told us you were sick with the stomach flu. He happened to overhear us talking about you possibly running late,"_ Andros explained.

"I'm okay, but I still feel a little sick," Ashley whispered, sighing somewhat heavily. "I have managed to keep down food, though." She rubbed her stomach gingerly. "In fact, I'm eating lunch right now."

 _"That's good,"_ Andros said in relief. _"I will be heading to lunch in a few minutes myself."_

"I see. So, what's happened so far today?" Ashley asked curiously.

Andros let out a small sigh. _"Well, Brian decided to mess around during the chemistry quiz. It got him, Cassie, Carlos, Leo, and me sent to detention. Leo revealed he and his older brother, Mike, saw you, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Zhane reveal yourselves as the Power Rangers and morph in front of the crowd. Mike is in college and has a girlfriend named Maya, who is from Mirinoi. She and a girl named Elsa Carver switched places."_

"Wow," Ashley said in amazement. "You, Cassie, and Carlos were so lucky to learn one of your classmates was in the crowd when the revelation of Ranger identities occurred." She laid her hand on her leg and tapped her fingers on it.

 _"I know. Not once did we think that would happen,"_ Andros said, chuckling quietly. _"Of all places, it had to be detention."_

"At least Ms. Rogers allows students to talk in detention as long as it's not real loud," she pointed out.

 _"Oh, yeah,"_ he agreed. _"Anyway, I wish I could jump into this phone and end up at your house. I want to give you a big hug."_

Ashley chuckled warmly. "That's sweet of you, Andros, but you wouldn't have to do that. Just talking to you gives me comfort."

 _"The same goes for me with you,"_ Andros whispered in happiness. _"There's no one I'd rather talk on the phone to than you."_

Ashley couldn't stop herself from smiling. She wished she could glue the phone to her ear and continue talking to Andros. Then again, she wouldn't want to deal with its stickiness. After all, she couldn't count the number of times she had seen Ashton accidentally glue his fingers together while using superglue. She shifted her position on the couch somewhat.

 _"If you want to know about anything else that's happened, Johnny got sent to detention for throwing a paper airplane at Ms. Applebee's whiteboard while she was writing about the fall of the Roman Empire. It had a message that said, 'Ms. Applebee is a big idiot,'"_ Andros commented, making a disgusted noise.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised he did that?"

 _"What matters is he got what he deserved,"_ Andros said and cleared his throat. _"Before then, he joked that you dumped me because you were sick of me when I told him about your illness."_ He let out a loud annoyed groan.

"I wouldn't date that jerk if he was the last man on Earth," she growled truthfully.

 _"If you ask me, he should spend the rest of the year in detention along with Brian and Bianca,"_ he responded.

"Oh, yes," Ashley agreed with a sharp nod. "We might as well add Tara to that group. She's as big a troublemaker as they are." She smiled as she imagined Johnny, Brian, Bianca, and Tara spending a whole day in detention with angry looks on their faces. "It's too bad we can't flip them off at school. We'd get in big trouble for that. All four of them deserve to be given the bird big time."

Andros chuckled. _"They sure do. Karone, Zhane, and I can always use our telekinesis to tie their shoelaces together or dump hot sauce in their drinks."_ He snickered.

Ashley squeaked gleefully as she remembered Karone's prank on Johnny that day in Angel Grove Park. She hoped to see that happen again in the near future. Seeing him fall face first into a mud puddle after tripping would be better than just on the ground. To her and the others, he deserved to have his face and hair messed up.

 _"Well, I need to go. I'm going to starve to death if I don't go eat lunch right now,"_ Andros said, letting out a light laugh.

"Okay. Have a good lunch. I love you," Ashley answered lovingly.

 _"I love you too. I hope you feel better later on this afternoon,"_ Andros whispered in sweetness.

"Me too. Thank you. I'll talk to you later," she murmured, sighing in much content.

 _"You too. Bye,"_ he said.

Ashley turned off the phone and laid it on its base. She scooted back over to her spot. She grabbed her napkin and plate. She laid the former in her lap, followed by the latter. She picked up her sandwich to take a bite. She chewed in a slow yet steady manner as she put it down. She swallowed, letting out a quiet gulp. She grabbed her water to take a sip.

She put her water back in its spot and smiled happily. She saw Mr. Kaplan's letting her boyfriend and friends know that she was sick as the best thing he had ever done. What was even better was that it was unexpected. After all, the gang had been taught to always expect the unexpected as they never knew what could come. This held true for when they had been Power Rangers.

Just then, her smile turned into a frown. She wished she could've asked Andros to come over after school, so she could tell him what was really going on. Then again, she didn't want to face his possible wrath. She still wanted to tell someone as she knew it wasn't wise to keep a pregnancy secret, whether or not it was confirmed.

Ashley started thinking about who to tell. Suddenly, one person came to her mind. Cassie would be the perfect person to reveal this to as she was her best friend and often confided in her about stuff she couldn't share with anyone else. If anyone could help her, it was her. Of course, there was always a chance she'd react badly. Still, she just might call to check on her.

Ashley let out a long burp. She covered her mouth, feeling very embarrassed. She wondered if this was yet another sign she could be pregnant. She shook her head, getting that thought of her mind. She didn't want to deal with that right now. She picked up her apple to take a bite out of it. She started to chew as she resumed watching TV.

00000

The cafeteria bristled with much activity eighteen minutes later. A student approached the cashier with a chocolate milk in the second line. She paid him fifty cents and got twenty back. She grabbed her milk and walked away from him. She went past Andros, Zhane, and Karone, who were chatting away at the fifth table. Andros was in the first seat on the right. Zhane and Karone had the first and second seats on the left.

"And the guy said, 'That's no kindergartener. That's my wife!'" Andros said and laughed aloud while hitting his hand on the table.

"I can never get enough of that joke, buddy. It's so funny," Zhane answered with pride.

Karone smiled widely. "Me neither. TJ Detweiler is the master of jokes in _Recess._ In fact, that cartoon is full of them."

"No kidding," Zhane said and picked up his milk to sip it. He put it down. He pulled a pepperoni off his pizza and popped it into his mouth. He chewed quickly and swallowed with a loud gulp. "I say the funniest character in the whole show is Randall. He snitches on the other kids to Ms. Finster all the time." He smiled widely. "He makes me laugh hard."

"No way," Karone said with a shake of her head. "Menlo is the funniest character. His obsession with being organized makes me laugh so hard that I start crying." She squeaked in joy.

Andros chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You two are both wrong. The funniest character is TJ. His pranks make me laugh so loud that I send echoes through TJ's house." He sat up tall and proud.

Zhane and Karone waved Andros off. Three students took their trays to the trashcan beside the door leading outside. They dumped their trash in it and laid them on top of it. They headed out the door, snapping their fingers and singing nonsense. Andros picked up his fork and poked it into his salad. He managed to get a decent amount on it. He put it into his mouth. He chewed slowly but surely. He swallowed, gulping quietly. He laid his fork down.

"What's interesting is TJ shares his name with our friend," Zhane commented, folding his arms and laying them on the table.

"Yeah. It wouldn't surprise me if parents start naming their children after characters in _Xena: Warrior Princess._ That show is really popular," Karone said, a big smile forming on her face.

Andros scratched the back of his neck. "Who would've thought a show about an ancient female warrior would catch on with viewers?" He chuckled to himself. "It seems unreal."

"It might, but it goes to show that not all strong ancient warriors were male. Let's not forget all the Ranger teams had girls on them. They were very tough like Xena," Zhane pointed out.

Karone sighed contently. "I like Gabrielle a lot. She's not like most sidekicks who are annoying and whiny. She can hold her own and isn't afraid to speak her mind."

"She's also stubborn just like you," Zhane said, turning to her with a smirk.

"You better take that back or else," Karone warned and looked at him.

Zhane acted as if he were scared. "Or else what? Are you going to hit me in the face with one of your fries?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"No, I'm going to do something worse," Karone commented and picked up a fry. "I'm going to feed it to you." She waved it in front of his face. "Here comes the train."

Karone imitated a train's whistle while moving the fry backward. She moved it toward Zhane's mouth. He opened wide as she placed it inside. He closed his mouth, chewing and swallowing. He smacked his lips.

"That was delicious," he said with happiness.

"Great. How about I feed you some strawberries while we lay in the back of your van on our next date?" she suggested.

Zhane flicked her chin. "I'd like that very much. After that, how about I feed you some grapes?"

"I'd like that too. Just don't throw them into my mouth," Karone warned playfully and pinched his nose. She kissed the tip of it. She got one from him on the tip of hers.

"Oh, cut it out, you two," Andros growled in mock irritation.

"Hey, you and Ashley display more affection than we do," Zhane retorted as he and Karone gazed at him.

Karone huffed and narrowed her eyes at her brother. "So, don't jump on us for showing that."

"Oh, I will. In fact, I'll throw both of you outside if you show any more affection," Andros said with a playful growl.

"Do it. We dare you," Zhane threatened, shaking a fist at him.

"Okay. Here I come," Andros replied and acted as if he were getting up and going over to the couple. He laughed quietly. "It's always fun when we pick at each other."

"Yes, it is. Of course, you pick at everyone more than anyone else does," Zhane said, a smirk crossing his lips.

"I believe the honor of that goes to you," Andros commented, gesturing toward his best friend.

Zhane laughed with sarcasm. "That was so funny that I died laughing."

Andros stuck his tongue out at Zhane. He picked up his fork, but it slipped out of his hand and bounced toward the edge of the table. He caught it before it fell off. He sighed in relief. Zhane chuckled, getting his attention. Karone popped a fry into her mouth and chewed.

"Now, that's what I call a slippery fork," Zhane quipped.

"Oh, be quiet," Andros retorted and got a forkful of salad. He placed it in his mouth and chewed. He swallowed before licking his lips. He laid his fork down and sipped his chocolate milk. "It was nice to hear Ashley's voice just before lunchtime." He sighed contently. "I wasn't sure if she would be eating lunch or taking a nap."

"It stinks she got sick at the beginning of the week," Zhane muttered, his body tensing up. "It's hard enough to drag yourself out of bed on Monday, but it's impossible when you are sick." He shuddered in a loud manner. "The same can be said for any day of the week."

"The thing is she didn't start feeling sick until she was getting ready for school. Illnesses have a way of hitting at the worst times," Karone whispered in some fear. She swallowed.

"The bright side is the stomach flu lasts usually just a day or two. If Ashley isn't feeling better by tonight, then she should be feeling better by tomorrow," Andros said hopefully.

"Ditto," Karone agreed. "Anyway, what matters is you got to talk to her, bro. She's doing okay." She held up her hands. "She won't be going anywhere unless it's to her room to lay down or to the kitchen to get something to drink."

"Mm-hmm. Forget about Ashley's illness. How about we finish our lunch?" Andros suggested. He smiled at the couple voicing their agreement. "Okay. Let's do it."

The trio proceeded to finish their lunches. A student dumped his trash in the trashcan next to the door leading into the hallway. He left the cafeteria, clicking his tongue three times.


	24. It Goes On and On

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter features some TJ/Cassie. Another Lost Galaxy character will make its first appearance in it. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-five.

XXXXX

Chapter 24: It Goes On and On

Light rain was still falling on the Hammond residence fourteen minutes later. Ashley was watching _The Land Before Time_ while sitting on the living room couch. The scene where Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike were plotting to get rid of Sharptooth permanently came on. She propped her head up with her elbow on the arm.

She looked down at her stomach and rubbed it very lightly. She was glad she had been able to keep her lunch down so far. She wanted to have a snack later. She thought about what sounded good to her. Suddenly, an idea clicked in her mind. She could have carrots with lite ranch dressing. She imagined dipping the edge of a carrot into the dressing and watching it drip off after she removed it from that.

She was startled when the cordless phone started ringing. She looked over at it, taking slow yet even breaths. She prayed silently that it was Cassie calling her. After all, it was the start of third lunch, and that would be the perfect time for her to her call. At the same time, she knew it could be Ashton or Anna calling to check on her again. She scooted over to the phone and picked it up on the fourth ring. She turned it on and put it to her ear.

"Hello?" Ashley whispered.

 _"Hey, Ash,"_ Cassie responded.

Ashley sighed in much relief. "Oh, Cassie. Thank God it's you."

 _"Yeah. It's me. Don't wear my name out,"_ Cassie quipped with a giggle.

"I won't," Ashley said, rubbing the back of her neck. She brought her legs up underneath her.

 _"How are you feeling?"_ Cassie asked curiously.

"I'm still feeling a little sick, but I'm okay," Ashley answered, laying her hand in her lap. "By the way, Andros called to check on me earlier."

Cassie gasped. _"He did?"_

"Yeah. He was on his way to second lunch. He told me about him, you, Carlos, Leo, and Brian getting detention. I'm sorry," Ashley commented sympathetically.

 _"I know, but I'm not going to let it bother me. After all, I'd rather get detention than be suspended. Being suspended would really piss my parents off,"_ Cassie muttered in some fear.

"Isn't that the truth?" Ashley said, a chuckle coming out of her mouth.

 _"Thanks for not saying ain't. It's annoying to hear it all the time,"_ Cassie said, groaning in irritation.

"Most people can't help it when they say it. Then again, some people say it for fun," Ashley pointed out.

Cassie chuckled. _"Yeah. Anyway, that was so sweet of Andros to call and check up on you."_ She made kissing sounds.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Cut it out, Cass."

 _"I can't cut it out! It'll grow right back!"_ Cassie squeaked in delight and laughed raucously.

Ashley mouthed her best friend's sentence in a mocking manner. She wished she could jump through the phone and end up at school, so she could slap her silly. Then again, she was glad Cassie wasn't able to see her mocking her.

"So, what else has happened?" Ashley wondered.

Cassie chuckled humorlessly. _"Well, Tara got sent to detention for throwing a paper ball at Mr. Williams's desk while the class was working on an assignment in fourth period._ _It had a message that said, 'Mr. Williams is a big dummy with bad hair.' He was so pissed. So were TJ, Carlos, Justin, and I."_

"Damn," Ashley scoffed irritatingly. "Johnny, Brian, Bianca, and Tara are the biggest troublemakers I have ever met. I think they almost enjoy getting sent to detention." She mumbled inaudible words.

 _"I was even tempted to go over to Tara and slap her silly for what she did, but that would've gotten me thrown in detention for the second time today,"_ Cassie muttered, wincing badly.

"One detention is bad enough. Two in one day is even worse," Ashley whispered, swallowing hard.

 _"Yeah. I have to commend Bulk and Skull for surviving being sent to detention constantly,"_ Cassie said, sighing quietly.

Ashley smiled lightly. "Me too."

Ashley listened to Cassie giggle. She stopped smiling and became serious. She took slow yet even breaths.

"Cassie, there is something I want to ask you," Ashley whispered, feeling somewhat nervous.

 _"Sure. What is it?"_ Cassie asked in curiosity.

"Do you think you could come over after school? There's something I need to tell you," Ashley responded, her body shaking a little bit.

 _"Can you tell anyone else like Andros?"_ Cassie said, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"It involves Andros himself," Ashley answered. She wanted to tell Cassie about what was going on with her so badly, but she didn't want to risk other students overhearing. "I'm not comfortable with telling him or anyone else at all."

 _"Okay. I'll come over,"_ Cassie said comfortingly. _"Would three o'clock be okay? I promised my parents I'd get a few things at the store for them after school."_

"That'd be fine. Please, don't tell the others about this. I don't want to risk anyone else prying, especially Johnny, Brian, Bianca, and Tara," Ashley pleaded, putting her hand on the mouthpiece. "You know how those four idiots spread rumors all over school." She shuddered badly.

 _"I know. It pisses me off so much when they do that,"_ Cassie growled in some anger.

"Me too," Ashley agreed.

 _"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone,"_ Cassie assured.

"Thanks," Ashley said, sighing in relief. She looked toward the window as she laid her hand in her lap. She could see the rain had gotten a little heavier.

 _"I have to go. I need to eat lunch,"_ Cassie said dejectedly.

"Okay. I'll see you after school," Ashley replied quietly.

 _"You too,"_ Cassie said.

Ashley turned off the phone and returned it to its base. She shifted her attention toward the TV. She picked the remote up off the coffee table and flipped through the channels.

00000

The cafeteria bristled with activity ten minutes later. A student approached the cashier with a regular milk in the second line. He gave her fifty cents and got twenty back. He took his milk and walked away from her. He passed TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin, who were sitting at the third table. TJ and Cassie were in the third and fourth seats on the left. Justin and Carlos were in the third and fourth seats on the right. TJ, Carlos, and Justin chatted about Christmas Break.

Cassie pushed a cherry tomato around her salad with her fork while staring down at it. She couldn't stop thinking about her phone conversation with Ashley. She wondered what her best friend wanted to tell her. She felt tempted to tell her friends, but she wasn't about to break the girl's trust. She was started when she felt TJ tap her shoulder. She glared at him.

"Hey, don't scare me like that, TJ!" Cassie scolded angrily and slapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," TJ retorted defensively. "Are you okay? You looked a little off there."

"I'm just tired, Teej," Cassie responded with a yawn. She poked her fork into her salad, getting a decent amount on it. She put it in her mouth and chewed. She swallowed with a quiet gulp. "I'm ready for this day to be over with."

TJ chuckled lightly and put his hand on top of her chair. "You're not the only one."

Carlos sipped his chocolate milk. "On top of that, spending first period in detention is bound to make anyone more tired than usual. It did me."

"It did me too," Cassie said truthfully. She took a sip of her regular milk. "Yep, yep, yep." She made a weird noise.

"Of course, Ducky," TJ quipped and tickled her cheek, which made her laugh. He smiled widely. "I just love hearing you laugh. It makes you look beautiful."

Cassie blushed so badly that she looked like a strawberry. "Oh, stop it, TJ!"

"You're even more beautiful when you blush," TJ said sweetly and ran his finger up and down her nose.

"I should paint you red, so you can look like me," Cassie threatened playfully and poked his chest with her finger.

"No way," TJ retorted.

"Yes way," Cassie said, the redness fading from her face.

Justin smirked as his friends looked at him and Carlos. "After you paint him red, then you can do Carlos and me."

"You're dreaming if you think I'm going to let her do that," Carlos said, glancing at Justin, who turned to him.

"It was just a thought," Justin said, stifling a snicker.

TJ and Cassie gave shrugs. Carlos waved his hand in front of Justin's face. He raised it high, bringing it downward rapidly. Justin smacked him lightly on the cheek. He rushed two fingers forward, but Carlos blocked him by holding his hand sideways between his eyes. Carlos pushed his friend's hand downward. They made mean faces, growling as if they were bears. TJ and Cassie laughed in delight.

"Man, do you guys look mean!" Cassie said, clapping twice.

"You guys should have a boxing match," TJ added.

"We would love to, but we don't want to get in trouble for fighting," Carlos commented as he and Justin gazed at their friends.

Justin showed smugness. "Then again, I'm sure I could beat Carlos in a boxing match."

"Don't get smug, Justin," Carlos warned, eyeing the boy. "It will bite you on the butt." He gestured toward his own butt.

"Of course, Carlos," Justin said with a nod. He picked up his hamburger and took a bite out of it. He chewed as he laid it down. He swallowed with a loud gulp. He sipped his chocolate milk. "You guys want to hear a food joke?"

Cassie became a bit eager. "Sure."

"Count me in," TJ added, sitting tall and proud.

"Don't forget me," Carlos said.

"It goes like this," Justin commented, clearing his throat. "Why did the students eat their homework?" TJ, Cassie, and Carlos shrugged, unsure of the answer. "Because the teacher told them it would be a piece of cake."

TJ, Cassie, and Carlos broke into a fit of hysterical laughter. They stopped when they ran out of breath. Justin appeared a little guilty.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you three laugh so hard," Justin apologized, chuckling nervously.

"How could we not laugh so hard when your joke was so funny?" Cassie asked, a giggle coming out of her mouth.

"Not to mention it featured students eating their homework," TJ commented and took a sip of his chocolate milk. "I wish we could really do that. It'd make remembering them a lot easier."

"Yeah. Of course, I don't want all that paper in my teeth," Carlos mumbled, his face showing some disgust.

"I've heard the dog-ate-my-homework excuse came from the idea that work might be adversely affected by the tendency of some dogs to chew on paper came in a 1905 issue of _The Cambrian,_ a magazine for Welsh Americans," Cassie said, picking up a cherry tomato and popping it into her mouth. She proceeded to chew.

"That's interesting," Justin commented thoughtfully.

Cassie swallowed. "I can safely say that I've never had an animal eat my homework." She sat up tall and proud.

"Me too," TJ said, tickling her cheek.

"Me three," Carlos added, crossing his arms.

Justin gave a thumbs-up. "Me four."

The quartet shared a laugh. Carlos uncrossed his arms as Justin laid his hand on the table. They, TJ, and Cassie started talking about the time they and Ashley were baked into a pizza.

00000

The cafeteria was less crowded twelve minutes later. TJ, Carlos, and Justin laughed at Cassie making chittering sounds and sweeping her hands underneath her armpits as if she were a chimpanzee. She curled them into fists and pretended to beat on the table. Everyone had finished his or her lunches and dumped his or her trash.

"Yeah. Beat on that table, Cass," Carlos encouraged.

TJ clapped three times. "You need to break it in half."

Justin put his hands behind his head. "It's been mean to you."

"Okay," Cassie growled in playfulness and hit the table with her fists five times. She made the sound of it breaking in half. "There. I've broken it in half."

"Good for you," the boys said, laughing gleefully.

Cassie smiled proudly. She, TJ, Carlos, and Justin heard a girl yell out. They looked over to see Kendrix peering angrily over her shoulder at Tara. Kendrix was seated in the seventh seat on the left. She had her hand on _White Fang._

"Why did you have to hit me in the head, Tara? I didn't do anything to you," Kendrix demanded, flaring her nostrils.

"I know you didn't, Kendrix. I just wanted to hit you," Tara sneered, moving her eyebrows up and down.

"Well, you need to go away," Kendrix responded firmly and turned back to her book. "I don't want to deal with you right now."

"Too bad, you pathetic orphan," Tara said, shaking her head. "I'm going to bother you some more by taking this."

Tara grabbed the book away from Kendrix, who became angrier and stood up. She held it out of her reach as the girl jumped for it. She wiggled it, laughing mockingly. Some nearby students snickered under their breaths.

"Give me my book back now!" Kendrix yelled.

"Okay," Tara said and lowered the book, only to put it behind her back when Kendrix tried to take it from her. "Oops. It ran behind my back."

"Please, just give me back my book," Kendrix pleaded and attempted to get it from behind Tara, but the latter brought it in front of her and held it up high. She jumped for it, but she couldn't reach it. "Please, stop it."

"No way," Tara said and put it behind her back again. "Your parents were right to leave everything to your sister. You didn't deserve any of their assets." She emitted an evil hiss. "You'll never amount to anything. On the other hand, Erica will be a successful lawyer after she gets out of college."

Unable to watch any longer, Cassie stood up and stomped over to behind Tara. She snatched the book away from her. Tara growled fiercely and spun around to face her.

"I believe this book belongs to Kendrix," Cassie said in determination.

"Cassie, don't you know you're not supposed to stick your nose in other people's business?" Tara retorted, narrowing her eyes at her.

Cassie poked her in the chest with her finger. "Don't you know that you're not supposed to go around bullying people?"

"I can do anything I want. I'm rich," Tara leered and flared her nostrils. "If you know what's good for you, you will give me that book and walk away."

"No, I won't let you bully people weaker than you are!" Cassie declared, leaning toward her a little closer.

Tara started to become angry. "Listen—"

"Hey, what's going on here?" Mr. Kaplan demanded as he walked up to Cassie and Tara, whom both faced him.

"Mr. Kaplan, I was just interacting with Kendrix when Cassie came over and started bothering me," Tara explained, trying to look innocent.

"Oh, that is a bunch of crap, Tara," Justin yelled, standing up quickly along with TJ and Carlos. Mr. Kaplan looked at them.

"We saw you bullying Kendrix," TJ added angrily. "Cassie was trying to stop you."

Mr. Kaplan looked more closely at TJ and Justin. He saw they were speaking the truth. He gazed at Tara, who swallowed hard. He crossed his arms, stepping closer to her.

"Tara, you know bullying isn't tolerated in this school. I think spending the rest of your lunch in detention is in order," Mr. Kaplan said bluntly.

"But, Mr. Kaplan—" Tara started.

"No buts, Tara. If you can't do the time, then you shouldn't do the crime. Now, go to detention!" Mr. Kaplan ordered fiercely.

Tara snorted angrily and went to the seventh seat on the fourth table's right. She grabbed her backpack off the floor and slipped it over her shoulders. She picked up her notebook and calculus book. She approached Mr. Kaplan as he uncrossed his arms and pulled out his pink slip and pen. He wrote on it and handed to her. She went out the door leading into the hallway while mumbling inaudible words. Kendrix, Cassie, and Mr. Kaplan looked at each other.

"Thanks, Mr. Kaplan," Kendrix said, a small smile crossing her lips.

"You're welcome, Kendrix," Mr. Kaplan answered, putting his pen back into his pocket. "No bullies will cause any trouble as long as I am around."

Cassie sighed in relief. "Thank God."

"You said it, Cassie," Kendrix agreed.

Mr. Kaplan chuckled. "Well, I better get back to watching the rest of the students."

The principal walked past the girls, snapping his fingers and singing a scat. Kendrix gazed at Cassie, who handed her the book. She laid her hand on the cover.

"Thank you for getting my book from Tara, Cassie," Kendrix said sweetly.

"You're welcome. Don't listen to Tara. You will amount to something," Cassie whispered in comfort.

"I hope so," Kendrix said, feeling a little unsure.

Cassie glanced at the book's cover. "By the way, I've seen you read _White Fang_ in Mr. Williams's class after you finished an assignment a couple of times. Do you like it a lot?"

"Oh, yes. It's my favorite book. Jack London has such a way with words," Kendrix answered, giggling softly.

"Yes, he does. You want to come sit with my friends and me?" Cassie asked, motioning toward TJ, Carlos, and Justin.

"I don't know, Cassie. I don't want to butt in on you guys," Kendrix muttered in uncertainty.

"Oh, you won't be butting in," Cassie replied gently and touched the girl's arm. "Come on, and join us."

Kendrix was still reluctant, but she nodded. "Okay. Just let me get my stuff."

Cassie returned to her seat. Kendrix grabbed her backpack from underneath the table. She walked over to the seat next to Cassie, setting her backpack on the floor and her book on the table. She sat down, grunting lightly. TJ, Carlos, and Justin seated themselves.

"That was pretty low of Tara to call you a pathetic orphan, Kendrix," TJ said, showing some disgust.

Justin expressed much sympathy. "It's not your fault that your parents aren't alive anymore."

"Maybe they aren't alive, but they might as well blame me for the car crash that killed them," Kendrix whispered, emitting an angry scoff. "They doted on Erica constantly. She was the perfect little angel who could do no wrong while I was the mess-up. They blamed me for everything that went wrong. Uncle Carl hated they did that. He knows Erica is a spoiled, selfish brat. He dotes on me a lot, but I am nowhere near spoiled."

"It's great you have a loving uncle, Kendrix," Carlos said in happiness.

Kendrix smiled lightly. "Yes, it is. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"I may not have my mom, but I still have my dad," Justin added with a small smile. "I can always turn to him for advice."

"There's something I want to tell you, guys," Kendrix commented.

"What?" Cassie asked, curiosity filling her eyes.

"I was in the crowd when you, TJ, Carlos, Ashley, and Zhane revealed you were Power Rangers and morphed in front of everyone, Cassie," Kendrix answered, smiling widely as she adjusted her glasses a little bit.

Carlos became very amazed. "Really?"

"Yeah," Kendrix said, laughing cheerfully. "I told Uncle Carl and Erica about it. She accused me of lying, but he believed me." She took a deep breath. "Erica gets a kick out of accusing me of lying about stuff I've seen, but I don't care. I don't have to see her often since she is in college."

"That's good," Justin commented. "Despite I was the youngest member of the Turbo Rangers, I did have a lot of confidence. It helped me to stay focused in battle." He looked very proud.

"Everyone knows the most important rule in combat is to never underestimate your opponent," Carlos whispered truthfully.

"Unfortunately, we did underestimate some of the monsters we faced," TJ grumbled with much guilt.

Cassie expressed much sadness. "Like Goldgoyle. We thought we could take him on, but the Turbo and Rescue Megazords ended up being destroyed by him." She sniffled. "Then the Power Chamber was invaded and destroyed by Divatox's forces."

"We barely made it out alive," TJ said, his body trembling as he remembered the Power Chamber blowing up.

"I have no doubt all of you were scared," Kendrix whispered sympathetically.

"Oh, we were," Carlos admitted.

"What matters now is that evil is gone. The universe has been peaceful for more than a year, thanks to the Power Rangers," Kendrix commented with much warmth.

TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin couldn't stop themselves from smiling. It warmed their hearts to know so many people were thankful to them and the other former Rangers for protecting the universe. Of course, they wished people wouldn't treat being a superhero as fun and games. Justin decided to talk about how he got super strength that left him unable to morph.

00000

The bell rang eight minutes later. Students began filing out of the cafeteria and classrooms. TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix managed to make it out of the cafeteria. The first four went right. The last headed left. Kendrix peered over her shoulder at the former Rangers.

"It was nice talking to you, guys!" Kendrix called.

"It was nice talking to you too, Kendrix!" Cassie responded as she, TJ, Carlos, and Justin looked over their shoulders at her. They shifted their attention to the hallway.

"Kendrix is such a sweet girl," Carlos said, happiness radiating from his face.

Cassie nodded in agreement. "She sure is. Who would've thought we would've interacted with her today?"

"Unfortunately, it had to involve Tara messing with her," TJ mumbled dejectedly. "When will that girl let up with her bullying?"

Justin scoffed bitterly. "It'd take a miracle for that to happen, Teej. She shows no signs of stopping."

"Any attempt to talk her out of it won't work. All we can do is watch her," Carlos pointed out in seriousness.

"The bright side is she has been sent to detention twice for her troublemaking," Cassie murmured, letting out a relieved sigh.

Carlos raised his hands into the air. "Hallelujah. She deserves to spend the rest of the year in detention." He lowered them.

"If anyone is to blame for Tara's behavior, it's her parents. They spoil her to no end like Veronica's parents do with her," TJ growled, his voice showing hints of anger.

"On top of that, she wears rather revealing clothing. She thinks she'll be able to attract the guys in droves," Justin hissed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"It's done the opposite. Guys have ignored her due to her ugly personality. Not even Brian would date her if his life depended on it," Cassie commented bluntly.

Justin smiled widely. "Good."

"If she messes with any of us in a public place, we should flip her off on both hands," Cassie suggested.

"Oh, that would be good," Carlos responded, a big smirk crossing his lips.

"It's a great way of saying, 'Up yours,'" TJ whispered, struggling to keep himself from laughing.

"Who cares? She deserves it," Justin said matter-of-factly. "So do Veronica, Johnny, Brian, and Bianca."

The others voiced their agreement. They and Justin reached the stairs and turned right. They began singing nonsense as students scurried past them on either side.


	25. A Little Coffee and Confessions

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has some Mike/Maya in it. I added more dialogue to the third scene in chapter twenty-four. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-six.

XXXXX

Chapter 25: A Little Coffee/Confessions

The rain had stopped by mid-afternoon. A young man entered Biggs Café, which was medium-sized and had tables with anywhere from two to four chairs scattered throughout the front of it. Booths could be seen further toward the back. He approached the cash register. A cashier walked up to him, smiling at him.

"Good afternoon, sir. What can I get you today?" the cashier asked.

"I'd like black coffee, ma'am," the man answered.

She nodded at him. "Sure."

The cashier went to the coffeemaker behind her. She grabbed a mug from beside it. She got the kettle and poured coffee into the mug until it was nearly full. She returned the kettle to the coffeemaker. She picked up the mug. She returned to the man and set it in front of him. She typed in the price.

"That will be one dollar, sir," she announced cheerfully.

"Okay," he said and reached into his pocket to get his wallet. He opened it to pull out a dollar. He handed that to her, and she typed in the amount and rung it up. He closed his wallet.

"You won't be getting any change today," the cashier said, chuckling. "Thank you. Have a nice day."

"You too," the man replied, grabbing his mug. "Thanks for the coffee."

The man slipped his wallet back into his pocket. He headed toward the back. He passed Mike, Maya, and Leo, who were sitting at a booth. He took the one behind Mike and Maya and sat down. He sipped his coffee, nodding in approval. He put it down before clearing his throat.

Mike and Maya listened to Leo tell them about Brian's antics during the chemistry quiz that landed the former, the latter, Andros, Carlos, and Cassie in detention. Mike picked up his cream-filled coffee and took a sip of it. He set it down. He folded his arms and laid them on the table. He chuckled once Leo was finished.

"It was about time you got detention, Leo. You're such a goody two-shoes," Mike teased.

"It's better to be a goody two-shoes than a troublemaker," Leo responded, picking up his black coffee to sip it. He laid it down. "Mom and Dad won't be too pleased when I tell them I got detention for the first time."

"Hey, they weren't too pleased when I told them I got detention for the first time," Mike said, tapping his fingers against his arm. "It was due to yelling out because Bulk and Skull kept throwing paper balls at me during a lecture in Mr. Richards's physical science class in my freshman year." He scoffed to himself. "Boy, did I dislike those two when they were bullies."

"You weren't the only one. Most people disliked them, including me. Bulk and Skull thought being bullies would get people to respect them. It did the exact opposite," Leo commented, running his finger along the top of his mug.

Mike inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "Their lives changed when they joined the Junior Police Patrol. They became very likable."

Leo smiled warmly. "They still messed up a lot, but they took their jobs as junior officers seriously. They really liked helping people."

"Not once did I think they'd decide to become sea lion trainers at the aquarium, but I'm glad they love their jobs," Mike commented happily. He barked as if he were a sea lion. Maya giggled, causing him to stop and look at her. "You can't get enough of my sea lion impression, can you?"

"Nope," Maya replied and smiled sweetly. "I have to say you'd make such a handsome sea lion." She winked at her boyfriend.

"And you'd make such a beautiful sea lion," Mike whispered and put his arm around his girlfriend. He kissed her temple, which made her smile grow wider.

Leo couldn't stop himself from smiling. He thought Mike and Maya looked so cute together. Not once did he ever think his brother would fall for a girl from another world, but he was glad it happened. Of course, he occasionally felt a little jealous due to not having a girlfriend himself. He hoped he would have one someday, so he could go on double dates with Mike and Maya. Maya picked up her black coffee, sipping a little bit of it. She laid it down.

"Bulk and Skull were a lot like two boys who bullied kids in my village when I was a little girl. Their names were Leon and Marco. They intimidated anyone they came across, including me. Their parents did nothing to stop them. In fact, they claimed it was our fault their sons bullied us," Maya said, her voice showing some hints of anger.

"What happened to those guys?" Leo wondered.

"When Leon and Marco were fifteen, they went into the jungle on a walk and didn't come back. A search party discovered their half-eaten bodies. They had been attacked and killed by jungle wildcats. The jungle wildcat resembles a tiger, except it is completely black and has no stripes," Maya explained.

Mike cringed badly. "What a horrible way to die."

"Yes, it is," Maya agreed. "I felt bad for their parents, but it was difficult to feel bad for them. They caused so much pain and misery. I was a year older than they were when they died." She sighed to herself.

"It's good you didn't say they deserved to die," Mike whispered proudly.

"It would've made me no better than they were if I had," Maya commented seriously.

"It makes me think about people who have said trainers deserved to be attacked by the animals they worked with," Leo muttered, his hand balling into a fist. "How can anyone claim to love animals and the environment when they show complete disregard for human life?" He appeared about ready to vomit.

"I know, bro. It makes me want to get out of my van and punch those anti-aquarium protesters out whenever Maya and I see them while waiting to take the left turn into the aquarium. I don't do it because I know that's what they want," Mike said, feeling disgusted.

Leo emitted a heavy sigh. "I have to deal with them too while I'm waiting to turn into the aquarium in my car. They're not animal lovers. They're human haters, plain and simple."

"The bright side is those protesters can't set foot on the premises because it's private property. They'll get arrested for trespassing if they do," Maya added.

The trio picked up their coffees to sip more of them. They put them down, smacking their lips.

"The one good thing about today's detention is it gave me the chance to get to know Andros, Carlos, and Cassie better," Leo said in relief. "What was even better was Brian couldn't even move from his assigned seat." He laughed joyfully.

"I wish I could've been there to see the annoyed expression on his face every time he looked at you and the former Rangers. I would've been grinning from ear to ear. It's great to see troublemakers get what they deserve," Mike said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"It's too bad Mr. Kaplan is retiring at the end of the year. Angel Grove High won't be the same without him," Leo muttered in sadness.

"I do hope the new principal is as strong a disciplinarian as he is," Mike said, placing his hands on his mug.

"Me too. The returning students will just have to wait and see," Leo murmured and looked out the window to see a teen couple walking down the sidewalk while holding hands. He returned his attention to Mike and Maya.

"At least you're graduating this year, Leo," Maya pointed out. "I have no doubt you're excited." She gave him a warm smile.

Leo chuckled in happiness. "I am very excited. I just wish it wasn't five months away, though."

"Don't sweat it. Graduation will be here before you know it," Mike said with a big smile on his face. "Your entire family will be there to see you walk up and receive your diploma from Mr. Kaplan."

"I remember your graduation. You tripped over your own feet when you went up to get your diploma," Leo answered with a loud snicker.

Mike narrowed his eyes at him. "Hey, what did I tell you about reminding me of that?"

"Hey, I couldn't resist!" Leo blurted out.

Growling playfully, Mike stood up and reached over to smack his brother in the head. Leo retaliated by smacking him in his. Mike settled back in his seat. He heard Maya giggling and gave her a mock glare.

"You better stop giggling or else," Mike warned in a playful manner.

"Or else what? You'll throw me out of the café?" Maya asked, a big smile showing on her face.

"No, I will do this," Mike replied and brought his hand up to her neck. He tickled it, which caused her to break into a fit of laughter. He ceased his assault, and she became quiet. "How's that for or else?"

"I loved it," Maya responded and planted a kiss on his cheek. She received one from him on his. Leo chuckled, causing the couple to look at him.

"You two might as well glue yourselves together," Leo commented truthfully. "You can't keep away from each other." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Oh, get lost, bro," Mike retorted and blew a raspberry at him.

"Okay," Leo said and acted as if he were going to get up and leave. "It's nice to get together like this. I wish we could do it more often."

Mike expressed sympathy. "Me too, but we will be able to do this more often once you start college."

"That's true," Leo agreed with a slow nod.

"Mirinoi's schooling is quite different from your world's. In families with multiple children, older siblings teach the younger ones how to do things, including reading and writing. It depends on how far apart in age they are. In families with only children, that duty falls to the parents. I was the only child in my family, so my parents taught me how to do things," Maya commented.

Leo propped his head up with his elbow. "For a world that doesn't have much technology, you had absolutely no trouble adapting to Earth's culture, Maya. You're a really smart girl."

"Thanks, Leo," Maya replied, warmth echoing from her voice. "You and your brother are really smart boys."

"Thanks," Mike and Leo said and looked at each other. They laughed hysterically. They got quiet when people started at them. They and Maya started talking about Christmas Break.

00000

At the Hammond residence, Ashley was sitting on the living room couch. The TV played _Free Willy._ The scene where Jesse touched Willy's nose after the former gave the latter fish came on. She had her head propped up with her elbow on the arm. She crossed her left ankle over her right.

She sighed heavily as she touched her forehead and rubbed it gingerly. She reached down to touch her stomach with her other hand. She hoped Cassie wouldn't be angry with what she would tell her. She just wanted to get everything over with.

Ashley was startled by the sound of an approaching vehicle. She grabbed the remote from the end table and turned off the TV and VCR. She laid it back in the same spot and stood up with a light grunt. She approached the window to see Cassie pulling her dark red Mercedes, which was somewhat faded and had a scratch in the door behind the driver's, into the driveway. Cassie switched off the engine and unfastened her seatbelt. She got out of the car and made her way toward the front door. Ashley went to it and unlocked it. She opened it slowly as Cassie reached it.

"Hey, Ashley," Cassie greeted.

"Hi, Cassie," Ashley answered and stepped aside to allow her to walk inside. She closed the door. She turned around as Cassie stopped next to the coffee table and faced her. "How were your afternoon classes?"

"They went fine. Of course, Bianca got detention again when Mr. Wyatt caught her poking Justin and me in our shoulders with her paintbrush," Cassie muttered, rolling her eyes. "It never ends."

"Unfortunately," Ashley commented, running her hand over her hair. "We just have to make due." She emitted a sad sigh.

"Yeah. How are you feeling right now?" Cassie asked.

"I'm feeling okay, but I am a little tired," Ashley said honestly.

"I see. Anyway, what was so important for me to come over here after school?" Cassie wondered. "What does it have to do with Andros? What is it you can't tell him?"

Ashley looked down at the floor. She prayed that Cassie wouldn't freak out at what she was about to tell her. She returned her attention to her, stepping closer to her.

"Andros and I have been—" Ashley started, unsure if she could continue.

Cassie became impatient. "Come on, Ash. Spit it out."

Ashley sighed. "Andros and I have been sexually active since the first night we spent at my aunt's cabin back in October."

"Really?" Cassie whispered in much surprise.

"Yes. We couldn't keep our desires at bay any longer. The thing is we haven't used any condoms because I've been using birth control," Ashley said, her body trembling and tears shining in her eyes. "I fear it has failed me. On top of that, my getting sick this morning seems to be connected to my unusual behavior from yesterday."

"You mean—" Cassie started, her heart starting to pound in her chest.

Ashley nodded. "Yes. I believe I'm pregnant."

Cassie gasped aloud, which made Ashley wince. She wondered if she heard wrong. She looked at her more closely. She could see Ashley was telling the truth. She turned away from her sharply and walked into the kitchen, stopping beside the table. Ashley came up behind her.

"Cassie, talk to me," Ashley pleaded.

"Ashley, you and Andros should have been more careful!" Cassie scolded as she faced her. "After all those lessons in sex ed, I thought you two would have taken more precautions."

"I know, and I'm so sorry!" Ashley replied, choking back a sob. "Andros and I were so happy we finally consummated our relationship that we didn't even think about adding an extra layer of protection after our first time. We didn't plan for a pregnancy."

Cassie emitted a loud sigh. "Maybe you didn't, but it seems it's happened. There's no turning back."

"I know," Ashley responded with a nod.

"How will you take care of a baby since you are planning to go to college?" Cassie asked seriously.

"I don't know!" Ashley yelled in uncertainty. "I wanted to tell you first because I fear that Andros might react badly to this, possibly even dump me. I don't want to lose him after all we've been through together." She began to cry.

"Hey, come here," Cassie whispered soothingly as she took Ashley into her arms, allowing her bury her face into her shoulder. She listened to her muffled cries. She felt her light blue blouse become wet with tears. "It's okay. I'll tell you this right now. I'm not turning my back on you. You're my best friend." She pushed her back to look at her. "I will support you, no matter what."

Ashley sniffled. "Thank you."

The girls hugged once more. They stayed this way for twenty seconds before breaking apart. Ashley took deep breaths, calming down. Her body's trembling ceased completely. She wiped tears from her eyes.

"Do you want to go get a pregnancy test, so we can find out if you really are pregnant?" Cassie asked.

"No, I don't trust that damn test," Ashley answered in some bitterness. "There is too much of a risk at reading it wrong." She let out a long yawn. "I want a doctor to confirm my suspicions."

"Okay. We can go to the Angel Grove Free Clinic to find out if you are pregnant. It's open now," Cassie suggested.

"All right. Do you think we can go now? I am anxious to find out," Ashley commented, licking her lips.

"Sure. Our parents won't be home for a long while. That will give us plenty of time," Cassie answered in a gentle voice.

"Mm-hmm," Ashley said in relief. "Let me go get my purse."

Ashley went upstairs. She returned with her purse three minutes later. She approached the front door and opened it. She locked it as Cassie headed out to her car. She walked outside and closed it behind her. She headed over to the passenger's side. She and Cassie got in and fastened their seatbelts. Cassie started up the engine and pulled out of the driveway. She started driving down the street.

"If you're pregnant, how far along do you think you are?" Cassie asked, eyeing Ashley.

"I believe I'm between six and seven weeks along. That's when pregnancy symptoms appear, though they can begin as early as the fourth week," Ashley explained.

Cassie nodded in a slow manner. "That's true. It's possible this could be a condition that mimics pregnancy." She looked ahead.

Ashley swallowed hard. "I've considered that, though I'm very positive I am pregnant."

"We'll worry about it when we get to the clinic," Cassie said softy and looked in her rearview mirror to see a van coming up on her bumper. She heard the driver honk his horn. "Forget it, buddy. I'm not going over the twenty-five-mile-per-hour speed limit on this road."

"Why is he in such a hurry?" Ashley wondered, looking out the back window at the van.

"I don't know, but I don't give a damn," Cassie declared. She came to a stop at an intersection. She flipped her blinker up. The right blinker started flashing. She looked both ways. She jumped in fright when the driver honked his horn. She glared at him in the rearview mirror. "I'm just looking both ways, you damn idiot!" She hissed in frustration. "God. Have some patience."

"I'd love to get out of the car and give him a piece of my mind," Ashley commented, looking ahead.

"You could, but he might pull a gun on you and shoot you," Cassie warned in seriousness.

"Good point," Ashley agreed.

Cassie turned right, the blinker ceasing its flashing. The driver drove ahead quickly, shooting her a dirty look. Cassie glanced at the rearview mirror, letting out a soft growl.

"See you later, jerk," Cassie shouted in determination. "Let's hope no one tries to hurry things along at the clinic."

"Yeah," Ashley replied and touched her stomach very lightly. "Everyone knows one of the worst things in the world is impatience. Some people have it more than others do."

"Ditto," Cassie agreed and moved her hands to the top of the steering wheel. She slowed down her speed somewhat as a teen boy skateboarded down the sidewalk.


	26. Clinic, Need to Know, and Confirmation

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. I am amazed I have written twenty-six chapters in just four months. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Ghostwriter, Alex B Goode, Tasha Hill, katxox, TommyOliverMMPRFan, and brankel1 for being continuous reviewers. Your support means to the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review this fic. I'd love to hear what ideas you have for it. On top of that, I can always use a few more reviews. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-seven.

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Chapter 26: Clinic/Need to Know/Confirmation

Ashley and Cassie were waiting to turn right at a red light eighteen minutes later. The right blinker was flashing. They watched cars go past them in both directions. Ashley felt her eyes droop, but she managed to keep them open. She felt her stomach growling and rubbed it. She groaned in frustration.

"Damn it. I'm getting hungry right now. I wish I had packed some carrots and salad dressing with me when we left. I was hoping to have that for a snack," Ashley muttered and scoffed to herself.

"Some pretzel sticks are in the glove compartment. You can have those," Cassie replied.

"Oh, I can't take your food, Cass. It wouldn't be right," Ashley whispered, shaking her head.

"I insist. Besides, you need to eat as much as you can. If you are pregnant, you may not want to eat later due to feeling nauseous," Cassie pointed out.

"Okay," Ashley said, smiling as she looked at the glove compartment. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Cassie responded, looking at her. "Just try not to get any crumbs on the floor." She winked at her.

Ashley opened the compartment. She took out a small plastic bag filled with pretzel sticks. She closed the compartment and was about to open the bag when a loud honk startled her and Cassie. They looked toward a van in the lane next to them. The driver spoke inaudible words and hit her hand on the dashboard in frustration.

"Shit. That's the second impatient driver we've encountered today," Ashley griped in anger. She opened the bag to get three sticks and popped them into her mouth. She started chewing slowly.

"I know," Cassie agreed and turned back to the road along with her best friend. "Everyone is in such a hurry these days. I know some things can't wait, but we can't control traffic lights." She mumbled inaudible words.

Ashley swallowed before licking her lips. "I remember the time Andros and I nearly got hit by a truck when he was taking me home from a lunch date at McDonald's three months ago. It came really close to us." She shuddered in fear. "I was so scared by it that I thought I was going to pee my pants."

Cassie laughed humorlessly. "That would've been embarrassing."

"Indeed," Ashley agreed. She grabbed two more sticks and put them in her mouth. She chewed quickly and swallowed with a loud gulp. "Andros gripped the steering wheel so tight that he looked like he was about to pull it off."

"That reminds me of that cartoon where Olive Oyl pulled the steering wheel off the dashboard and handed it to Popeye when he asked her for it. It was so funny," Cassie commented.

"Yes, but it would take a great deal of strength to pull the steering wheel off the dashboard in real life. Cartoons have never followed reality," Ashley said, getting another stick to nibble on.

Cassie gave a shrug before patting the steering wheel twice. She and Ashley saw the light become green. She turned right as the car beside them went straight quickly, its tires screeching. Ashley put two more sticks into her mouth after finishing the previous one. She proceeded to chew.

"At least we don't have to worry about that impatient driver riding this car's bumper," Cassie whispered, her voice filled with relief.

"Yeah," Ashley agreed, swallowing and licking her lips.

Cassie spotted a large white sign saying 'Angel Grove Free Clinic' in large black letters coming into view on her right. She turned into the mostly empty parking lot and parked in a space close to the entrance. She turned off the engine. They stared at the medium-sized building. Ashley managed to finish off the sticks. Cassie eyed her.

"Your hunger satisfied?" Cassie asked.

Ashley nodded. "Yep. Thanks for letting me have the pretzel sticks."

Cassie winked at her. "No problem."

"What are we sitting around for?" Ashley asked, grabbing her purse from the floor. "Let's find out if I'm pregnant."

Cassie got her purse from the same spot. She and Ashley undid their seatbelts and exited the car. They made their way to the entrance. They entered the medium-sized waiting room, which had chairs along the walls and in the center with their backs touching, end tables with lamps here and there, the receptionist office in the back, and a door leading into a hallway off in the corner. They were relieved to know they wouldn't be behind anyone. Though they weren't impatient by any means, very long waits could make them that way. They approached the receptionist, who looked at them.

"What can I help you two with?" the receptionist asked.

"I need to see a doctor," Ashley answered.

The receptionist folded her hands. "Why do you need to see a doctor today?"

"I believe I'm pregnant. I've been hungrier than normal, having strange cravings, experiencing fatigue, having mood swings, and getting sick. I want to be sure it isn't another condition," Ashley explained somewhat nervously.

"Okay. Though it's obvious you're rather young to be having a baby, I'm not going to judge you. I've seen a number of teens come in here to see if they're expecting a baby or not," the receptionist replied and opened the drawer underneath her to get a patient form. She glanced at Cassie. "Do you also need to see a doctor?"

"No, I just brought her here," Cassie answered, touching Ashley's shoulder.

"All right," the receptionist said. She handed Ashley the form after putting it on a clipboard. She grabbed a pen and gave it to her. "It shouldn't take you long to fill out the form."

Ashley smiled lightly. "Thank you."

Ashley and Cassie approached chairs in the center of the room. They seated themselves with loud grunts. They put their purses on the floor. Ashley crossed her right leg over her left and laid the clipboard in her lap. She looked over what needed to be filled in. She started writing on it.

"Talk about a nice receptionist," Cassie commented, looking at Ashley.

"She might have been nice, but I'm going to be encountering a lot of judgmental people once they become aware of my situation," Ashley replied truthfully. "I'll just have to deal with it." She yawned widely. "I hope I don't fall asleep."

"Neither do I. Anyway, it's a good thing clinics exist. People can go to them to get checked out for minor ailments," Cassie said, sighing quietly.

"It's crazy when people go to the ER for minor ailments. That ties up resources that could be used for real emergencies," Ashley muttered.

Cassie propped her head up with her elbow on the arm. "Yes, but some people don't care. They think they're entitled to use things for whatever they want, including ERs." She shuddered in disgust.

"You'll never see me use the ER unless I have an actual emergency," Ashley declared and finished writing her address. She began writing down her symptoms.

"The same goes for me," Cassie added and crossed her right ankle over her left. She looked around the room before focusing her attention on Ashley. "I hope the doctor who checks you out is nice."

"Me too. Some doctors are only in it for the money. They see it as the ticket to a luxurious lifestyle. For male doctors, they see it as a way of lining up the ladies," Ashley said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief.

"If a sleazy male doctor tries to hit on me, I'll tell him off and give him the bird on both hands," Cassie said in determination.

Ashley laughed lightly and looked at her. "You go, girl."

Cassie reached over and patted the girl's back. Ashley turned back to the form. She finished filling it out and stood up. She headed over to the receptionist, handing her the clipboard.

"I'm not sure how long it will take for you to be seen by a doctor," the receptionist said calmly.

"Thank you," Ashley responded. She headed back to her seat, sitting down with a light grunt. "All we can do now is wait." She smoothed out her blue blouse with both hands. "I do hope it won't take long."

"Me neither," Cassie agreed. She gazed at the table next to her to see a pile of magazines. She picked up one called _Parenting._ She showed it to Ashley. "You might want to read this."

"Okay," Ashley commented and took the magazine. She opened it and started to read it.

00000

Ashley finished reading part of an article on baby development on the sixth page in the magazine Cassie had given her and turned to the next one. She and Cassie looked toward the door leading into the hallway. Though it had been just seven minutes since Ashley handed the receptionist the form, it felt like forever to them. They wanted to get this over with so much. Ashley turned back to the magazine. She became very intrigued at what she saw.

"Cass, look at this. It says a baby begins to fully recognize its parents' faces by the time it's three months old," Ashley said, showing the magazine to Cassie.

"Very interesting," Cassie responded in awe. She glanced at a baby grabbing its foot while laying on its back at the bottom of the page. "That baby is cute."

"Yeah," Ashley whispered and closed the magazine. She handed it to her best friend, who put it back in its spot. "I do hope Andros doesn't react badly to all this." She looked at her worryingly.

"So do I, but let's not focus on that right now. We need to be focusing on finding out if you really are pregnant," Cassie pointed out gently.

Ashley nodded slowly. Approaching footfalls caused her and Cassie to peer over their shoulders. A sixty-eight-year-old woman came into the room. Being Caucasian, she was tall and had long, straight black hair that curled at the ends. She was lean and bore a tiny scar on her right cheek. Her eyes were dark green. Her face had wrinkles here and there. She held a folder in her hand. She stopped close to the girls.

"Ashley Hammond?" the woman asked.

"That's me," Ashley answered as she and Cassie grabbed their purses. They stood up and approached the woman. "You are—"

"My name is Nancy Jenkins," the woman responded and held out her hand. "I will be taking care of you today."

Ashley shook Nancy's hand. "It's nice to meet you." She eyed Cassie, who dug her heel into the floor. "This is Cassie Chan. She brought me here."

Cassie held out her hand. "Hi, Nancy. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Cassie," Nancy replied warmly and shook Cassie's hand. "Well, let's get the ball rolling."

Nancy led Ashley and Cassie out of the room and down the hallway. They stopped at the fourth door on the right. Nancy opened it and flipped the switch, flooding an examination room with light. The small room had a table with a long strip of paper on it. A door leading to a small bathroom was across from it. A sink, cabinets, and drawers were off in the corner. Two chairs were near the door.

The doctor and the girls went inside. Nancy closed the door behind her. Ashley and Cassie stopped in front of the chairs to lay their purses in them. They turned toward Nancy, seeing her go to the table. Nancy gestured for Ashley to come sit on it. Ashley went over to the stool and climbed up. She turned around to sit on the edge. Nancy opened the folder and looked over her personal information.

"It says here you're eighteen years old and that you seem to be experiencing pregnancy symptoms," Nancy said curiously as she shifted her attention to the girl.

"Unfortunately," Ashley muttered in much shame and guilt.

Nancy showed sympathy. "Not to worry. I don't judge teen parents. I see them from time to time. The teens come here first to find out if they are really expecting a child, so they can prepare themselves for when they tell their parents."

Cassie swallowed hard. "Do you honestly believe that Ashley is pregnant?"

"I'm very confident she is, Cassie, but we won't know until I get a urine sample from her and test it," Nancy explained.

"I don't have a problem providing that. I just want to know," Ashley commented, fidgeting quite a bit.

"Before we do that, I need to take your blood pressure," Nancy replied and removed her stethoscope from around her neck. She put it in her ears. "It's standard procedure here."

Nancy laid the folder on the counter. She went over to the drawer below the sink and opened it. She dug through it and took out a sphygmomanometer. She slammed it shut. She approached Ashley's left arm and put its sleeve around it just above the elbow. She put the stethoscope just below the sleeve and began to pump it up until it was tight.

The sphygmomanometer's tightness on Ashley's arm lessened little by little. The needle went down until it settled on one hundred fifteen over seventy-five. Nancy released the air and removed the sphygmomanometer before taking her stethoscope out of her ears. She placed it around her neck and returned the sphygmomanometer to its drawer. She grabbed the folder and her pen from her pocket. She opened it and jotted down the result.

"Your blood pressure is good," Nancy announced and opened the cabinet above the sink to get a small cup. She walked to Ashley, handing it to her. "Pee in that. I will take it to be tested."

Ashley climbed down from the table. She went to the bathroom door and opened it. She headed inside, closing it very lightly. Cassie glanced at Nancy, who furrowed her brow as she picked up the folder and closed it.

"So, how long have you been here?" Cassie wondered.

"I've been volunteering here for two years. I worked at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital for forty years. I thought I'd be happy staying home full time after I retired, but I wasn't. After three months of retirement, I decided to start volunteering here," Nancy explained.

"I see," Cassie said, nodding slowly. "If you want to know, I didn't just bring Ashley here. I came with her as moral support. She confided in me about her situation. She wasn't comfortable with telling Andros. He's her boyfriend of nearly two years. They were—well, you know."

"I see," Nancy murmured gently. "I've read stories about teen parents getting ditched by their friends after they learned about their babies." She sighed sadly and picked up the folder. "It's in times of great need that you learn who your true friends are."

Nancy and Cassie heard flushing and looked toward the door to see it opening. Ashley came out of the bathroom with the cup, which was half-full with urine, in her hand. She approached Nancy, giving it to her.

"Thank you," Nancy said sweetly. "I'll be back with the results as quickly as I can."

Nancy walked out of the room. Ashley and Cassie listened to her departing footfalls. The former came to the latter's side.

"I'm so scared," Ashley mumbled, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"Hey, it's okay," Cassie responded comfortingly and put her arm around her. She gave her a small hug and rocked her back and forth. She whispered soothing words to her.

00000

Ashley and Cassie sat in the chairs. Their purses were on the floor next to their feet. They crossed their right ankles over their lefts. They looked toward the window, their bodies trembling somewhat. Though it'd been only ten minutes since Nancy left, it seemed like an eternity to them. Ashley felt like getting up and leaving the room to search for Nancy. Of course, she knew Cassie wouldn't approve of it, so she stayed put.

The girls turned their attention toward the door. They heard what appeared to be footfalls approaching. The door opened with a slight squeak, and Nancy walked in with the folder in her hand. Ashley sighed in much relief. She and Cassie looked at Nancy as the doctor stepped in front of them with her eyebrows raised.

"We didn't think you'd ever get here, Dr. Jenkins," Ashley said and tilted her head slightly.

"The test took a little longer than expected. I didn't mean for that to happen," Nancy responded.

Cassie crossed her arms. "It's okay. We understand."

"I'm glad you do. Some of my patients have given me a hard time for not moving fast enough. I can't help it if tests take a while," Nancy mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"If they're that impatient, then they shouldn't see you," Ashley commented bluntly.

Nancy chuckled quietly. "Oh, yes."

Nancy opened the folder and looked down at her notes. She mumbled inaudible words. Ashley bit her lip while blinking three times. She saw the doctor give her a serious look. Cassie uncrossed her arms.

"Ashley, the test I ran on your urine sample revealed high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in it. This hormone is present only during a pregnancy," Nancy explained.

"So, you are saying—" Ashley started, her heart starting to pound against her chest.

"Yes, you are indeed pregnant," Nancy finished and closed the folder.

Ashley felt her lower lip quivering. Her entire body trembled so much that it seemed it couldn't stop. Her eyes brimmed over with tears. She squeezed them shut, crying hysterically. She felt as if she had let everyone she cared about down. She wanted to go home and curl up on her bed. At the same time, she knew she had to tell Andros, despite she feared getting a bad reaction from him even more.

Cassie took Ashley into her arms, allowing her to bury her face into her shoulder. She listened to her muffled cries as tears made her blouse wetter than it was earlier. She felt her heart breaking for her. She knew her best friend's life would never be the same. In spite of that, she was determined to support her throughout her pregnancy. She intended to tell her father, Robbie, and Lily about it. She hoped to convince them to allow Ashley to live with them just in case Ashton and Anna disowned her.

Nancy showed nothing but sympathy for Ashley. Throughout her career, she had seen many teen parents break down when she revealed to them they were expecting children. She hated they got judged for it, especially the mothers. At least she could take comfort in the fact that teen parent support groups were available nowadays. She cleared her throat, causing Ashley and Cassie to look at her. Ashley opened her eyes and emitted a shuddering cry.

"I guess all that remains is for you to tell your loved ones, Ashley," Nancy whispered in a gentle manner.

"I don't want to think about that right now," Ashley answered swiftly and wiped tears from her eyes. She glanced at Cassie, who turned to her. "One thing is for sure. Being a Power Ranger never made any of us immune to life's difficulties."

"You're right, Ash," Cassie agreed. She and Ashley returned their attention to Nancy. "You don't do ultrasounds here, do you?"

"No, we don't," Nancy said regretfully. "Ultrasounds should only be done in a hospital. I know an obstetrician who works at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. His name is Kai Chen. He is a friend of mine and happens to be one of the city's best obstetricians, despite he is only thirty-five."

Ashley raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm. In fact, I supervised him when he first started working at the hospital. He caught on very quickly. He's worked with expectant teen parents and has shown nothing but sympathy and support for them. He's gotten flak from some of the doctors for that," Nancy muttered, letting out an angry hiss.

Cassie huffed as she got her purse and laid it in her lap. "What a bunch of judgmental jerks." She clenched her teeth. "I'd love to give them a piece of my mind."

"Me too. The good thing is Kai doesn't care what they think. He just goes on with his job. I'll give you his number," Nancy commented and went over to lay the folder down on the counter. She got her notepad and pen from her pocket. She wrote down Kai's full name and number as she approached Ashley. She tore off the paper and gave it to her. "Why don't you give him a call and set up an appointment for an ultrasound?" She gave her a small smile.

"Okay," Ashley said and nodded in a slow manner. She folded the paper and picked up her purse. She placed it in the front pocket. "I guess we're done here. Thank you for everything."

Nancy winked at the expectant mother. "You're welcome. Good luck with your pregnancy."

"Thank you," Ashley said, standing up along with Cassie.

Nancy went to the door and opened it. Ashley and Cassie walked out of the room. They mouthed 'Goodbye' to her. She closed the door and turned around to lean her back against it. She hoped everything would work out for Ashley. She prayed silently for her.


	27. Nothing the Same Again

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-eight.

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Chapter 27: Nothing the Same Again

Cassie observed four boys going down the neighborhood sidewalk on roller blades eighteen minutes later. She and Ashley could hear their joyous laughter. She reached the intersection and came to a stop. She pushed the blinker down. The left blinker started flashing. Cassie looked both ways before turning left, the blinker's flashing stopping. Ashley glanced out her window to see three girls playing jump rope in a front yard. Cassie saw them as well.

"Pretty girls, aren't they?" Ashley asked.

"Very pretty," Cassie agreed as they looked ahead. "They had sparkly jump ropes. I remember when I had one of those things. It was pink and very pretty." She smiled at the memory of her sparkly jump rope shining in the sunlight.

"I never had a sparkly jump rope, but I did have a bright green one," Ashley responded. "I did see girls with sparkly jump ropes from time to time. I always wondered how they got the sparkles in them."

"Me too. I don't know how the sparkles got into the jump ropes, but I can tell you it took a great mind to invent it," Cassie commented honestly.

Ashley ran her hands through her hair. "Like Billy's mind."

"Yep, yep, yep," Cassie said and made a weird noise.

"Okay, Ducky," Ashley quipped with a snicker. She laid her hands in her lap, patting it twice.

Cassie smiled widely. "I can't resist saying that line of hers. It's so cute. Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep."

Ashley reached out to tap her best friend's cheek with her finger. She returned her hand to her lap. Cassie saw the Hammond residence coming into view. She made a right turn into the driveway. She switched off the engine. Her smile faded, and a serious expression crossed her face. She looked at Ashley, who turned to her, breathing heavily.

"You know what you have to do," Cassie said, moving her hands to the bottom of the steering wheel.

"Mm-hmm," Ashley whispered nervously. She knew Cassie was talking about telling Andros. She wasn't looking forward to that at all. She looked down at her stomach, touching it very lightly. "I never thought this would happen to me." She rubbed it slowly. "It feels like a dream, and I'll wake up any minute."

"Many people think only poor teens become parents. That's not true. Plenty of well-off teens become parents," Cassie commented.

Ashley sighed to herself. "At least the well-off teen parents have access to resources to assist them with the pregnancies and their children. The poor ones don't unless you count Medicaid." She felt a tear fall down her cheek.

Cassie touched the girl's shoulder. "If there's one positive thing I can say about teen pregnancy, it's that the rate is dropping every year in this country. On top of that, Angel Grove High has only three to four pregnancies a year on average nowadays."

"All those sex ed classes helped drive the number down," Ashley responded in some relief. "Of course, some teens forego protection because they think pregnancy will never happen to them."

"They are so delusional," Cassie said, rolling her eyes as she placed her hand back on the wheel. "Anyway, I need to get home. I plan to tell my parents about all this. I will try to convince them to let you live with us just in case your parents throw you out."

"Thank you for everything, Cass," Ashley said, sniffling quietly. "You don't know how much I appreciate it."

Cassie gave her a small smile. "Anytime."

Ashley grabbed her purse and undid her seatbelt. She exited the car. She approached the front door and looked toward Cassie, who started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. She watched her go down the street until the girl was out of sight. She turned to the door and reached into her purse to get her keys. She looked through them until she found the right one.

She unlocked the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking quietly. She walked in before closing it behind her. She leaned her back against it, sighing exhaustedly. She decided she would start going to bed early. She needed to get as much sleep as possible because she would find it difficult to get that as her pregnancy progressed. She slipped her keys back into her purse. She went to couch to toss it there before going to phone on the end table. She picked up the phone and started dialing the number to the Johnson residence. She hoped Andros was there.

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At the Johnson residence, TJ, Andros, and Karone were sitting on the living room couch. They watched a recorded episode of _Press Your Luck._ One of the contestants landed on a Whammy and groaned in frustration. The Michael Jackson Whammy danced across the screen. He let out a series of squeals. Stars appeared in his eyes once he was finished. The Whammy card popped up with a boing. TJ, Andros, and Karone laughed while shaking their heads.

"I can't get enough of those Whammies," TJ said.

"You're telling me," Andros agreed. "They're the best part of the game."

"The Cyndi Lauper Whammy was so funny. She was like 'I want money! I want money! I want money! Cash!' while she danced across the screen," Karone shouted and moved like she was dancing in her seat.

Andros smiled as he looked at his sister. "Yeah. Dance yourself off the couch."

Karone gazed at her brother with a big smirk on her face. "And you're coming with me." She became still, and they turned to the TV. "That's my favorite Whammy."

"My favorite is the Tarzan Whammy. He swings on a vine and yells 'Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!' before he crashes into an angry elephant," TJ said and acted as if he were swinging on a vine.

"I wouldn't want to be that guy," Karone said.

"Me neither," Andros said and stood up to head toward the kitchen. "I'm getting a diet coke to drink."

"Me too," Karone said, rising to her feet. She looked down at TJ. "You want one?"

"No, thanks," TJ said and grabbed the remote off the coffee table. "I'll just continue to watch the show." He leaned back and put one hand behind his head.

Karone shrugged and followed Andros into the kitchen, which was medium-sized with light red walls, dark red cabinets, and an oak table that had five unmatching chairs. She caught up to him. They were almost at the refrigerator when the phone started ringing. They looked toward it and raced for it. Andros reached it first and picked it up on the second ring. He looked at her with a smirk.

"Ha, ha, ha. I got it first," Andros taunted.

Karone narrowed her eyes at him. "Lucky you."

Andros stuck his tongue out at Karone as she approached the refrigerator and opened it. She reached in to pull out two diet cokes. He shifted his attention to the phone, placing it on his ear. He heard her close the refrigerator.

"Hello?" Andros asked.

 _"Hi, Andros,"_ Ashley replied.

"Hey, Ashley," Andros said happily as Karone came to his side and gave him the first coke. He eyed her and gave her a wink. He watched her go into the living room. He turned back to the phone. "How are you?"

 _"I'm fine,"_ Ashley answered, clearing her throat. _"What about you?"_

"I'm doing fine. I just beat Karone in getting to the phone. She was as slow as a snail," Andros said, stifling a snicker.

"I heard that, Andros!" Karone yelled.

"Oh, no. She heard me," Andros mumbled, acting as if he were shaking. "I'm done for."

Andros heard a playful growl and approaching footsteps. He looked toward the doorway as Karone appeared in it. She blew a raspberry at him, and he responded in kind. She went back into the living room. He balanced the phone against his shoulder and opened his coke.

"So, what's going on?" Andros wondered, taking hold of the phone and removing it from his shoulder. He took a long sip of his coke.

 _"Andros, could you come over to my house?"_ Ashley asked and coughed twice. _"I need to talk to you."_

"Why? What's wrong?" Andros asked in concern.

 _"It's very important. It concerns us,"_ Ashley said urgently.

"Okay," Andros commented, feeling his heart rate quicken a little bit. "I'm coming over there."

 _"Thank you,"_ Ashley whispered in relief.

"I'll get there as quickly as I can," Andros said and sipped more of his coke. "If you need to go to the bathroom, do it now."

 _"Thanks for telling me, but I don't need to go,"_ Ashley said. _"See you in a few minutes."_

Andros hung up the phone. He went over to the counter and placed his coke on it. He walked out of the kitchen. He quickened his pace as he headed for the stairs. TJ and Karone stood up. They appeared very concerned.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Karone wondered as she set her coke on the coffee table.

"Ashley wants to see me right away," Andros said, racing up the stairs after he reached them. "It's very important."

"What for?" TJ called.

"I don't know, TJ!" Andros shouted in some annoyance. "Please, don't ask any more questions!"

TJ and Karone looked at each other. They wondered what was going on with the couple. They didn't want to make Andros angry, so they decided not to bother. Andros came running down the stairs with his leather jacket on and his keys in his hand a minute later. His friend and sister turned to him. He slipped the keys in his pocket as he stopped at the front door. He gazed at the duo.

"I shouldn't be gone real long," Andros said and unlocked the door. He opened it and walked outside. He closed it behind him. He headed down the sidewalk. He took slow yet even breaths. He wondered what Ashley wanted to see him for. He hoped it wasn't anything bad.

00000

At the Hammond residence, Ashley paced back and forth in front of the living room's coffee table. Though it had been just seven minutes since she called Andros and asked him to come over, it felt like forever to her. She wanted to see him so badly that she appeared ready to open the door and go into the front yard to wait for him.

She stopped pacing when the doorbell rang. She looked toward the front door. She ran her hands over her hair while taking deep breaths. She licked her lips and approached the door, looking through the peephole to see Andros. She unlocked it and opened it.

"Hey, Ashley," he greeted.

"Hi, Andros," she answered and stepped aside to allow him to walk inside. She closed the door. She turned around as he stopped next to the coffee table and faced her. "I'm so glad you're here."

"What was so important for you to see me right away? Why does it concern us?" Andros wondered.

"You need to hear this," Ashley responded and walked over to him. She took his hands into hers. She gave them gentle squeezes. "I don't know how to tell you this, but—" Her body started to tremble.

He began to feel a little uncertain. "What are you trying to say, Ash?"

She swallowed hard, praying silently he wouldn't freak out. "I'm pregnant."

Andros gasped aloud, making Ashley tense up. He wondered if he heard her wrong. He took a closer look at her. He could see she was telling the truth. Suddenly, he pulled his hands out of hers and turned away from her. He took slow yet even breaths. She touched her boyfriend's shoulder, her body trembling even more.

"Andros, talk to me," Ashley muttered, her voice filled with worry. "Please."

"I never thought this would happen to me," Andros whispered and faced her once more. "How far along are you in your pregnancy?"

She sniffled softly. "I believe I'm between six and seven weeks along. My birth control failed, despite I was taking it correctly. I'm so sorry." She started crying.

He touched her cheek, his eyes filled with sympathy. "Hey, it's okay. Come here." He pulled her into his arms, allowing her to bury her face into his shoulder. He listened to her muffled cries and felt his jacket becoming wet with tears. "You know birth control isn't one hundred percent effective. This happened to be a time that it didn't work."

"You seem to be taking this all right," Ashley muttered in surprise as he pushed her back. "I was expecting you to be angry with me. I mean, I stopped you from putting a condom on during our first time. We were so happy we had finally consummated our relationship that we didn't even think about adding an extra layer of protection after that. If we had, then—"

"A condom would have reduced the chance of you getting pregnant a bit, but it still could've broken, even when used correctly. It's happened with many men," Andros pointed out gently.

"I have no doubt some of those men accused the women they had sex with of sleeping around when they learned of their pregnancies simply because they used protection," Ashley said, her face showing much disgust.

Andros cupped her chin in his hand. "Not me. I know you'd never do that to me. I'll be here for you and the baby. I love you. I know we created this baby in an act of love."

Ashley choked back a sob. "Thank you. I love you too."

She kissed him and hugged him tightly. He responded by hugging her back. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before releasing their hold on each other. They pulled back to look into each other's eyes. Her body stopped trembling completely.

"I hope this doesn't make you mad, but Cassie knows about the baby," Ashley whispered.

"She does?" Andros asked surprisingly.

"Yes," she answered with a slow nod. "I started to put the pieces together after I got sick this morning. I suspected I was pregnant. I was really scared about telling you. I asked her to come over after school when she called to check on me. I confessed everything, including our not using condoms because I was on birth control. She fussed at me over not being more careful." She felt a tear fall from her eye. "She calmed down and comforted me. She vowed to be there for me. She took me to the Angel Grove Free Clinic because I wanted a doctor to confirm my suspicions. I've never trusted pregnancy tests due to the risk of reading it wrong. Nancy Jenkins did a urine test and confirmed my pregnancy."

"I see. Well, you did the right thing telling Cassie. At least we know we have someone on our side," he said in much relief.

She took his hands into hers, giving them gentle squeezes. "Nancy gave me a phone number to an obstetrician named Kai Chen. She said he is one of the best obstetricians in the city, despite he is only thirty-five. He has worked with expectant teen parents and has shown sympathy and support for them."

"It's nice to know an obstetrician has experience with teen parents," Andros said warmly.

"Mm-hmm," Ashley replied honestly and yawed widely. "Anyway, I don't want to think about how my parents, my grandparents, and my aunt will react to the news of my pregnancy right now. My grandparents actually jumped on my parents for getting me birth control, so I could regulate my periods. They believe birth control encourages people to have sex. They say people should stay pure until marriage. They always tell me this every time they come over here. I respect their beliefs, but that doesn't mean I have to live like them."

He snorted. "I don't want to think about how Karone, TJ, his parents, his grandfather, Carlos, Zhane, and Justin will react to the news of your pregnancy either."

"That's a lot of people," Ashley commented.

Andros nodded in agreement. He felt his girlfriend tighten her grip on his hands. They looked toward the window to see a boy skateboarding down the sidewalk in front of the house. They turned back to each other.

"I have no doubt many students and teachers will judge us," Andros mumbled, anger flashing in his eyes. "They always do that to teen parents. It's not right." He clenched his teeth so tight that it appeared they would break.

"I know," Ashley whispered in sadness. "Thank God for Angel Grove High's teen parent program. We'll be excused from classes for doctor's appointments and such."

Andros nodded at her. "Yeah. Unfortunately, some teachers want it thrown out because they think teen parents should be sent to alternative schools." He acted as if he were spitting at the floor. "They claim teen parents make the school look bad."

"They have the right to think that, but that doesn't mean we have to agree," Ashley said with a loud scoff. "In our eyes, teen parents have a right to graduate with their peers. They shouldn't be hidden." She emitted a quiet hiss. "Pregnancy isn't a disease and shouldn't treated as such."

"No, it shouldn't," Andros agreed and took a deep breath. Suddenly, a thought hit him. "What about college, Ash? What are we going to do about that?"

Ashley bit her lip nervously. "I don't know."

She looked down at the floor, letting out a shuddering breath. He pulled a hand out of hers. He put a finger under her chin, tilting her head back. He gave her a small smile.

"I'll tell you what. We can worry about that later. Right now, I just want to know if our baby is okay. Have your mom get to work on scheduling an appointment with Kai after you tell her and your dad. I want to go with you," Andros said in a gentle manner.

Ashley touched his cheek. "Okay. I'll try to have her to get an appointment scheduled during the late afternoon. I feel that would be the best time because I don't want to experience the stress of a big crowd in the morning."

"Thank you," Andros said lovingly. He kissed her forehead and hugged her. She laid her head on his shoulder. They breathed in each other's scents. They pulled back and looked at each other. "I'd better get home. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to tell TJ and Karone about the baby. I feel they should know right now."

"All right," Ashley said, nodding slowly. "I love you."

Andros stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "I love you too."

The lovebirds shared a sweet kiss, followed by a hug. They let go of each other. Andros headed for the front door. Ashley followed him as he opened it and went outside. She stopped in the doorway, watching him go down the sidewalk until he was gone.

She went back inside before closing the door. She turned around to lean her back against it. She cried happy tears that Andros had taken the news of her pregnancy well. She hoped her parents' reactions wouldn't be bad. She wished the same for Andros's family, especially TJ and Karone.


	28. From Left to Right

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I decided to add details to chapters nineteen through twenty-one in regards to the chemistry quiz Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo flunked due to Brian's antics. Ashley, TJ, Zhane, Karone, and Justin were also scheduled to take the same quiz later in the day, but Ashley ended up missing it due to her bout of morning sickness. I felt it was weird when I found the others didn't seem to have chemistry with Mr. Wilton, so I changed that. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-nine.

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Chapter 28: From Left to Right

Andros arrived at the Johnson residence within eight minutes. He walked up to the front door. He pressed his lips together and looked up at the sky. He was a little nervous with telling TJ and Karone about the baby. At the same time, he was determined to do it. After all, they had a right to know, especially his sister due to her being the baby's aunt.

He shifted his attention back to the door and opened it slowly. He walked in to find TJ and Karone engaged in a thumb-wrestling contest while sitting on the couch. He closed it behind him, its hinges squeaking a little bit. They looked at him as he approached the coffee table.

"Hey, bro," Karone greeted.

"What did Ashley want to talk to you about?" TJ wondered and managed to pin her thumb. They turned to each other. "One, two, three. I win!"

"You just got lucky," Karone said, pulling her hand out of his grasp. "I'll get you next time." She pointed her finger at him, growling menacingly. "Mark my words."

"In your dreams," TJ retorted playfully.

"I bet you like seeing me hitting you over the head in your dreams," Karone said and put her hand in her lap.

The duo blew raspberries at each other and made funny faces. Andros rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for their goofing around at all. He wanted to get this talk over with. He clapped twice, getting their attention. TJ and Karone gazed at him.

"I need to tell you two something very important about Ashley," Andros said seriously.

"What about?" Karone wondered. She grabbed her coke off the coffee table to sip it. She smacked her lips.

"I don't know if I can tell you guys this," Andros muttered in uncertainty. He looked as if he were about to run upstairs.

"Come on, bro. You can tell us anything," Karone assured.

"We're family, man," TJ added honestly. "We can handle it."

"Ashley's pregnant. I'm the father of her baby," Andros mumbled, his body starting to tremble.

"What?" Karone asked as she drank more of her coke.

"Ashley's pregnant. I'm the father of her baby," Andros blurted out.

All of a sudden, Karone spit coke in her brother's direction, causing him to jump back. She and TJ stared at him in much shock. They thought he was joking, but they realized quickly that he wasn't. Andros looked away from them in shame. Just then, something clicked in TJ's head. Karone returned her coke to its spot on the coffee table.

"Now, I know why you wouldn't talk to me about what you and Ashley did up in the cabin," TJ said, getting up. "You two were busy getting it on."

Andros turned back to his friend and sister. "Ashley and I have been sexually active ever since, Teej. It's not exactly something you brag about." He was unsure if he wanted to continue, but he knew he should. "On top of that, Ashley and I never used any condoms because we relied on her birth control. It ended up failing, despite she was taking it correctly."

Karone grew angry and jumped to her feet. "I can't believe you, Andros! You and Ashley should have been more careful!"

"You'd think all those sex ed lessons would've helped you two take more precautions!" TJ yelled sternly.

"I know, and I'm sorry!" Andros yelled in frustration. "Ashley and I didn't plan for a baby!" He looked about ready to burst into tears. "We just wanted to express our love for each other in the most natural way."

"Yes, but it's resulted in a baby. You can't change that," TJ said, his voice showing much seriousness.

"How are you two going to raise a baby while in college? You both want to go so much," Karone added.

"Ashley and I are more worried about how the baby is doing than we are about college right now. She needs to have her mom get an appointment scheduled with an obstetrician named Kai Chen for an ultrasound. Cassie already knows about the baby. She took Ashley to the city's free clinic and got confirmation from Nancy Jenkins about the pregnancy. Nancy referred Ashley to Kai. He's experienced with teen parents. He has shown nothing but support and sympathy to them," Andros explained, sighing heavily.

"I see," Karone whispered. "It still doesn't change the fact that you and Ashley will be judged by many people, especially since you were once Power Rangers."

"Not to mention my parents might blow a gasket at this news," TJ added, wincing quietly.

"I know, but I don't give a damn about anyone's reactions," Andros growled in much determination. "I'm not abandoning Ashley and the baby, not now, not ever!"

Andros stomped into the kitchen, stopping next to the counter. He grabbed his coke and took a long sip. He slammed it down and choked back a sob. His body trembled so much that it seemed it couldn't stop. TJ and Karone came up behind him. He faced them, letting out a shuddering breath. He wiped a tear from his eye.

"It's good that you're taking responsibility for what's happened, Andros," TJ said calmly.

"We'll stand by you and Ashley, no matter what happens," Karone declared fiercely.

"Thanks," Andros said, his voice filled with relief. "I appreciate it."

"We're sorry over the way we reacted. We shouldn't have done that," Karone apologized guiltily.

"It's okay, sis. I understand. I've always wanted to be a father, but I didn't think it'd happen this soon. I have to admit that I'm scared. I'm so young, and I don't know if—" Andros mumbled, sobs rising in his throat.

"Just because you're young doesn't mean you can't be a good father. You know it was common for people to marry and have children in their teens in the old days. Many of them were wonderful parents," TJ said.

"Yes, but teen marriage and parenthood are discouraged now," Andros pointed out quietly and took deep breaths to calm down.

TJ nodded. "Of course. Still, young people can make wonderful parents. Older people can make horrible parents." He cleared his throat. "In fact, some teens are raising their younger siblings because their parents are too busy getting wasted."

Andros chuckled bitterly. "There is no way in hell I'd ever take drugs unless I was real sick." He made a retching sound.

"Good for you," Karone whispered with a small smile. "When will you and Ashley sign up for Angel Grove High's teen parent program?"

"We haven't discussed that yet. I do intend to accompany Ashley to her appointment to see Kai," Andros said honestly. His body stopped trembling. "I want to see my baby on the ultrasound and learn how far along she is."

"That's good you want to be with her. Perhaps we could see pictures of the baby," TJ suggested.

"I'd love to see pictures of my nephew or niece. I am going to be an aunt after all," Karone added.

Andros smiled. He'd love to have pictures of his baby as it'd be one thing that'd give him strength when people got on his case for supposedly destroying his future. He had little doubt Ashley would want some too. His smile faded, and his face grew serious.

"I never thought I'd go from being a Power Ranger to being a teen father. It's just unbelievable," Andros said, sighing in some sadness.

"It might be, but being a Power Ranger never made any of us immune to life's difficulties," TJ answered gently.

"You and Ashley made a mistake, Andros," Karone said softly. "You're owning up to it. We're proud of you."

"Thanks," Andros said with a small smile. "Anyway, I'm going to let Ashley know about your reactions. She deserves to."

Andros went over to the phone and picked it up. He started to dial the number to the Hammond residence. TJ and Karone walked back into the living room.

00000

In the Hammond residence's kitchen, Ashley turned on the water and stuck her glass under it. She filled the glass up until it was nearly full. She switched the water off. She took a long sip, smacking her lips. Suddenly, the phone began ringing. She made her way over to it, picking it up on the second ring. She placed it to her ear.

"Hello?" Ashley asked.

 _"Hey, Ashley,"_ Andros answered.

"Hi, Andros," Ashley said, sipping a little bit more of her water. She ran her tongue over her lips. "How did TJ and Karone take the news of my pregnancy?" She became a little nervous.

 _"They were angry at first, but they calmed down and pledged to support you, no matter what,"_ Andros explained.

"Thank God," Ashley whispered in relief and took the phone off her ear. She laid it on her chest, crying happy tears. She felt as if she were about to hang it up and go over to the Johnson residence to give TJ and Karone the biggest hugs ever. She returned it to her ear. "How are you holding up?"

 _"I'm hanging in there. All that remains is to tell the parents about this,"_ Andros commented truthfully.

"I know," Ashley agreed. Suddenly, an idea clicked in her head. "I was wondering. Do you think we could tell them together?"

 _"I like that idea. It'd be a lot easier than doing it separately,"_ Andros said, chuckling softly.

"Yeah. How about we do it here at my house at seven-thirty?" Ashley suggested. "It'd be after dinner."

 _"That's perfect,"_ Andros answered and exhaled sharply. _"I'm sure TJ and Karone will agree. I just need to keep them from telling his parents about the baby."_

"The last thing we need is for them to blab about it before we get a chance to say anything," Ashley mumbled.

 _"I know,"_ Andros agreed, wincing painfully. _"There's nothing worse than loved ones finding out about your secret from others or on their own before you have a chance to tell them."_

Ashley tensed up quite a bit. She remembered when she got a D-minus on a sixth-grade science test and vowed to keep it secret because she feared her parents' disappointment. Anna found out about it when she accidentally discovered the test on her daughter's bed while putting her clothes on it. She told Ashton about it, and they confronted her. They expressed more disappointment in her keeping this from them than the grade itself and grounded her for three days.

"Andros, when do you think we should sign up for the school's teen parent program?" Ashley wondered.

" _I'd like to get it done as soon as possible,"_ Andros responded honestly.

"If I'm feeling up to attending school tomorrow, how about we do it then?" Ashley suggested, pushing her hair out of her face.

 _"That's a great idea,"_ Andros commented, sighing contently. _"Tomorrow would also be a good time to tell the rest of our friends about your pregnancy."_

"Okay," Ashley agreed, taking deep breaths to release the tension in her body. "If there is one good thing I can say about this pregnancy, it's that the baby won't be born until after we graduate."

 _"I know. I want to know how it is doing so badly,"_ Andros whispered somewhat nervously.

"Me too, Andros," Ashley replied, sipping more of her water. She walked over to the counter to set it down. She let out a long yawn. "I'm feeling a bit tired right now. That trip to the clinic wore me out." She slid her hand downward to her stomach. She rubbed it lightly. "I'm thinking of laying down and sleeping for a little bit."

 _"That'd be a good idea. I just hope you don't doze off during your classes. That would annoy your teachers big time,"_ Andros said with a snort.

"I don't know if I'll be able to help that," Ashley replied with a small laugh. She became serious quickly. "I've always wanted to be a mother, but I didn't think it'd happen this soon. I admit that I'm scared. I'm so young, and I don't know if—"

 _"Hey, I'm scared about being a father at such a young age myself,"_ Andros interrupted gently. _"Children don't come with manuals. All we can do is try our hardest to be good parents to our baby."_ He snorted again. _"I will tell you this. If you are craving something late at night, give me a call. I'll get it for you."_

"Okay," Ashley murmured, a small smile crossing her lips. "Thanks."

 _"You're welcome,"_ Andros said, his voice showing much love.

"If you want to know, I have Kai's number in the top drawer of my nightstand. I don't want to accidentally lose it," Ashley muttered, cringing somewhat.

 _"That's smart of you. TJ and Karone have expressed interest in seeing ultrasound pictures of the baby when we go see Kai,"_ Andros said.

"I'd love to have ultrasound pictures of our baby," Ashley commented warmly.

 _"I thought you would,"_ Andros whispered, laughing lightly.

"They would remind us of this life we created," Ashley said, patting her stomach in a gentle manner.

 _"Oh, yes. Anyway, I'd better go, so you can rest,"_ Andros said, clearing his throat.

"Thank you. I love you," Ashley said and made kissing sounds.

 _"I love you too,"_ Andros murmured lovingly. _"I'll see you tonight."_

Ashley hung up the phone. She grabbed her water and headed into the living room. She picked up the remote from the end table and turned off the TV and VCR. She set it and her water in the same spot. She approached the couch, pulling the blanket off the top of it. She sat down and got a pillow from the edge of it. She set it on the arm and laid on her back. She pulled the blanket up to her chest. She closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.


	29. Telling the Parents

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has a small bit of Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter thirty.

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Chapter 29: Telling the Parents

Anna was pouring coffee into a mug in the Hammond residence's kitchen in the early evening. She filled it to nearly full before putting the kettle back in the coffeemaker. She took a long sip, nodding in approval. She looked toward the window to see a northern mockingbird sitting on the windowsill. The mockingbird flapped its wings to air them out. It ran its beak through its back feathers.

She turned back to her mug and sipped more of her coffee. She and Ashton had been very surprised when Ashley told her that she and Andros wanted their families together at their house at seven-thirty because they needed to tell them and TJ's parents something very important after getting home. They agreed to it when her husband talked with Ricky on the phone. They also learned about Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo's stint in detention and Cassie's protecting Kendrix from Tara's bullying from Ashley. She wondered what the get-together was about. She wasn't about to probe her daughter for questions because she didn't want to anger her.

Anna shifted her attention toward the window to see the mockingbird still sitting on the windowsill. The mockingbird chirped a beautiful melody. It finished within thirty seconds and turned around. It spread its wings and took off into the sky. She laid her coffee on the counter before looking at it. Just then, Ashton came up behind her. He laid his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him.

"Can't get enough of coming up behind me, can you?" she asked, a small smile forming on her face.

"Nope. I will continue doing it. There ain't nothing you can do about it," he answered, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Don't say ain't," Anna scolded playfully. "You know it's not a word."

Ashton narrowed his eyes at her. "You just said it."

"Only because you made me," Anna said, winking at him.

"Yeah, right," Ashton said sarcastically. He felt her elbow him in the stomach. He grabbed it and let out loud whimpers. She turned around to give a mock sympathetic look.

"Aw. Did I hurt the baby?" Anna taunted.

"Yes, you did! In fact, I think I'm going to get sick because of the pain!" Ashton cried, appearing as if he were about to vomit.

"I'll kiss it better," Anna said and kissed her fingertips. She patted his stomach after he took his hand away. "All better?"

"Yes," Ashton commented with pride.

Anna slapped him in the shoulder lightly. "Good."

He ruffled her hair, laughing when she swatted his hand aside. He pointed his finger in her face and moved it in all directions. She followed him with her eyes and pretended to become dizzy. He put his hand at his side. They became very serious.

"I am itching for Ricky, Diane, TJ, Andros, and Karone to be here. I want to know what Andros and Ashley have to tell us," Anna mumbled, sighing impatiently.

"So do I, but getting impatient won't make them come faster," Ashton pointed out gently.

She showed some nervousness. "I know, but I want to get this over with. I don't like the secrecy." She emitted an irritated hiss.

"Neither do I. I want to get this over with as much as you do. I have no doubt Ricky, Diane, TJ, and Karone are the same way. At least Andros and Ashley thought it was best for us to be together to hear their secret," Ashton replied.

"Everyone knows it's hard for two people to tell their loved ones about something separately because they don't know who to tell first," Anna muttered honestly.

"No denying that," Ashton agreed, rubbing his nose. "On top of that, it's times like this I wish there was a remote that could fast-forward to the moment Andros and Ashley tell us their secret." He clasped his hands together.

"Me too," Anna commented and ran her tongue over her teeth. "It'd help us get it over with more quickly."

He nodded in agreement. "Yep."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Ashton unclasped his hands. He and Anna made their way to the front door. He looked through the peephole to see Ricky, Diane, TJ, Andros, and Karone. He unlocked it and opened it.

"Hey, it's good to see you all," Ashton greeted.

"It's good to see you two," Ricky responded. He, Diane, TJ, Andros, and Karone walked in after Ashton and Anna stepped aside.

"Ashley, the Johnsons are here!" Anna shouted.

"I'm coming, Mom!" Ashley called from upstairs. "I'll be downstairs in a sec!"

Ashton closed the door, locking it. Ricky and Diane went to the couch to sit down. TJ got the armchair before Karone could. He smirked as she narrowed her eyes at him. Andros stopped in front of the coffee table. Ashton and Anna walked to Diane's side. Ricky let out an impatient sigh.

"When is Ashley going to get down here? I want to get this over with," Ricky complained.

"We do have to go bed later. We have to go to work in the morning," Diane added.

"So do we, but all of us heard Andros and Ashley. We need to hear what they have to say together," Anna said seriously.

"After all, this was what we agreed to," Ashton said.

"Mr. Hammond's right," Andros agreed, slipping his hands inside his pockets. "You can't back out on this."

"Yes, but—" Diane started.

"Please, Mom. Don't start with the buts," TJ pleaded, sighing heavily.

"Let's just get through this," Karone said, pressing her lips together. "Is that okay?"

"All right," Diane whispered, scoffing to herself. "If only a remote could fast-forward us to the moment Andros and Ashley tell everyone their little secret."

Ashton and Anna struggled to keep themselves from snickering. They couldn't believe that Diane had said the same thing they said a minute ago. They wondered if she read their minds. Just then, Ashley came down the stairs. She joined Andros's side. The adults gave them serious looks.

"So, what is this secret you need to tell us?" Ashton asked, crossing his arms.

"We're dying to know," Ricky added, furrowing his brow.

"We don't know how to say this, but I'm—" Ashley started, wincing at being unable to continue.

"What? What were you trying to say, Ashley?" Diane wondered worryingly.

"Ashley's pregnant. She's carrying my baby," Andros responded swiftly.

Ashton, Anna, Ricky, and Diane felt their jaws drop and their eyes widen to the size of saucers. They opened and closed their mouths, unable to form any words. Andros and Ashley felt their bodies tense up. TJ and Karone didn't react in the least bit, though they had a feeling the adults' reaction would turn out this way. Suddenly, a thought hit Anna.

"You two have been—" Anna started.

"Yes, we have been sexually active since the weekend at the cabin, Mom," Ashley interrupted nervously.

"We've relied on Ashley's birth control as the only form of protection," Andros added, his voice quieting to a whisper on the last word.

"I can't believe you two!" Ashton shouted in much anger.

"After those sex ed classes, we thought you two would've been more careful!" Ricky scolded as he glared at Andros.

Andros showed much guilt and shame, as did Ashley. "We know, and we're sorry, Mr. Johnson! We couldn't keep our desires at bay any longer." He choked back a sob. "We just didn't think—"

"Of course, you didn't, Andros," Diane interrupted sharply. "Now, it's produced a baby."

"It will be very difficult for you two to raise a baby while you're attending college," Anna pointed out seriously.

"You don't think we know that, Mom?" Ashley snapped, tears shining in her eyes. "Andros and I may not have planned for this, but we want to keep this baby." She felt sobs rising in her throat as the tears flowed down her cheeks. "We are determined to raise it."

Ashton emitted a heavy sigh. "But you two are—"

"We can see that, Mr. Hammond, but just because we're young doesn't mean we can't be good parents. We will try our hardest to be that to our baby," Andros interrupted calmly.

"Yes, but you will likely make a lot of mistakes along the way," Ashton responded bluntly.

"You should know something else," Ashley said seriously. "TJ, Karone, and Cassie already know about the baby."

Ashton, Anna, Ricky, and Diane gasped in shock. They, Andros, and Ashley looked toward TJ and Karone, whom both formed nervous expressions on their faces.

"Why didn't you two say anything about this?" Ricky asked in seriousness.

"We felt it was best that you hear it from Andros and Ashley themselves, Dad. It wouldn't have been right to tell you before they could. You and Mom would've been angrier than you are now if we did," TJ explained.

"That baby is my nephew or niece. It's a part of me just as much as it is a part of my brother. TJ and I believe Andros and Ashley would make good parents, despite they are young. They've always been good around children," Karone said hopefully.

"Not to mention they protected children many times in battle while they were Power Rangers," TJ added.

"Speaking of Power Rangers, why do I get this feeling you two will be judged more harshly than other teen parents are?" Anna asked as she, Ashton, Ricky, Diane, Andros, and Ashley looked toward each other.

"We understand your concern, Mom, but we don't care how they react," Ashley said defiantly and firmly.

"I will _never_ abandon your daughter and the baby, Mrs. Hammond," Andros declared and took her hand into his. "I'm in this all the way."

Ashton, Anna, Ricky, and Diane turned toward each other. Though they were still concerned about Andros and Ashley's ability to parent their baby, they understood their determination to do it. After all, they considered them and the other former Rangers to be wise and mature beyond their years. They shifted their attention back to Andros and Ashley.

"We are proud of you two for owning up to your mistake," Ashton said warmly.

"We're sorry over how we reacted. We shouldn't have—" Diane started, her lower lip quivering as she and Ricky stood up.

Ashley held up her hand. "It's okay, Mrs. Johnson. We understand."

"We'll support you two, no matter what happens. We'll help you as much as possible," Anna declared.

"Since Ashley is still covered under my and Anna's excellent health care plan, neither of you should have to worry about prenatal care," Ashton added.

Andros smiled lightly as he let go of Ashley's hand. "Thank you. We really appreciate everything."

Ashton and Anna went over to Ashley, who hugged both of them. Ricky and Diane approached Andros, who gave them a big hug. Clearing throats sounded, which caused both sets of parents and the teens to release their holds on each other. All six of them looked toward TJ and Karone standing before them.

"I hope you guys aren't forgetting us," TJ said.

"We are all family, aren't we?" Karone asked, a giggle escaping her lips.

Ricky smiled widely. "Of course, Karone."

"We'll never forget either of you," Diane declared with great pride.

"Great," Karone squeaked in much happiness.

"Just don't expect me to change any dirty diapers," TJ commented, gesturing toward Andros and Ashley.

"Oh, you will, TJ. In fact, I'll wave a smelly one in your face and see if you can handle it," Andros threatened in a playful manner.

TJ made a mean face. "Bring it on. I dare you. After that, I can wave one in your face and see if you can handle it."

"Okay. That's enough, guys," Ashton shouted, waving his hands in the air. "The next order of business is to find an obstetrician who has experience in dealing with teen pregnancy."

"Oh, that's not necessary, Dad," Ashley said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the paper, which was folded, Nancy had given her. "Cassie took me to the city's free clinic, where Nancy Jenkins confirmed my pregnancy. Nancy gave me Kai Chen's phone number." She unfolded it and handed it to her father. "He's an obstetrician with experience in teen pregnancy."

Ashton looked over the paper before turning to Ashley. "Thanks for bringing this to my attention." He showed it to Anna, who took it.

"I'll work on getting an appointment for an ultrasound scheduled. We need to know how far along Ashley is," Anna said, eyeing her daughter.

"Mrs. Hammond, I hope to go with Ashley to her appointment. Do you think you can get it scheduled for the late afternoon?" Andros asked hopefully. "Ashley doesn't want to risk getting stressed because of a big morning crowd."

Anna looked toward the young man. "I'll see what I can do. I can't make any guarantees."

"Thank you," Andros answered with a small smile.

Without warning, Ashley started feeling queasy. She covered her mouth with her hand and rushed for the stairs. The others watched her run up them very quickly. They looked at each other.

"We'll be dealing with that over the next several weeks," Ashton mumbled truthfully.

Anna chuckled lightly. "No kidding. When I was pregnant with her, I snacked on crackers as soon as I woke up. They helped ease my morning sickness tremendously." She folded the paper and slipped it into her pocket.

"Before I forget, Ashley and I plan to sign up for the school teen parent program tomorrow. That is if she is well enough to go to school," Andros said, sighing quietly.

"That's good, Andros," Ricky said, clearing his throat.

"I want to let you know that I am going to try to find a part-time job after the holiday shopping season ends," Andros whispered seriously. "I want to start saving up some money for the baby as soon as possible."

"Good for you, Andros," Anna answered proudly.

TJ frowned. "If you get a job, Andros, you won't be able to spend as much time with the gang as you used to."

"I know, but I need to do this. That baby is counting on me to provide it with things it needs. Among them are clothes, toys, bibs, baby food, etc.," Andros explained. "I hope to attend as many of Ashley's appointments with Kai as I can."

"Great," Karone said sweetly. She and the others heard footsteps and saw Ashley coming down the stairs. "You okay?"

"Yeah. That bout of vomiting wasn't as bad as this morning," Ashley muttered in relief. She came to her parents they and the others looked toward each other.

"How about we all head into the kitchen and talk for a little bit?" Ashton suggested, rubbing his hands together. "There is some hot coffee for those who want it."

Andros, Ashley, Anna, Ricky, Diane, TJ, and Karone voiced their agreement. They and Ashton walked into the kitchen.


	30. Going Up and Down

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I made changes to chapters twenty-seven through twenty-nine. Andros will be going to Ashley's first appointment with Kai. They are hoping it will be scheduled in the late afternoon to avoid a big morning crowd that could cause stress. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-one.

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Chapter 30: Going Up and Down

Clouds covered half the early morning sky above Angel Grove High School the next day. The sun came from behind a large one. Ashley made her way through the front doors. She headed toward her locker and opened it. She looked into the small mirror that hung in the middle of the door. She slipped a lock of hair behind her ear.

She turned to the interior. She felt relieved to be back at school. Before she went to bed, Anna told her to eat crackers as soon as she got up to ease morning sickness. She did just that, and it helped keep her breakfast down. She hoped her mother would be able to get her appointment with Kai scheduled today. She planned to check on that before she went to lunch.

She was glad to know that Cassie's parents weren't angry with her getting detention when her best friend called to see how the Hammonds and the Johnsons reacted to her pregnancy before she went to bed. Nor were Ricky and Diane when Andros told them, and he told his friends about that. Carlos called her and the rest of the gang to tell them his parents weren't angry with him either. Robert and Lily accepted her pregnancy and were willing to let her live with them.

Ashley looked down at her stomach. She touched it and rubbed it very lightly. She wondered when she would start showing. She had heard of some pregnant women not showing until their ninth month of pregnancy, but she didn't believe she'd be that lucky. Humming caught her attention. She saw Cassie approaching her locker. She grabbed her calculus book and closed hers with a loud slam.

"Good morning, Cassie," Ashley greeted.

"Good morning, Ashley," Cassie responded, looking at her with a smile. "It's great you were able to come to school today."

"Me too. Staying home for one day was enough for me," Ashley said, turning around to lean her back against her locker.

"Let me guess. You snacked on crackers as soon as you got up to ease morning sickness," Cassie whispered.

Ashley was surprised. "How did you know?"

Cassie chuckled. "My mom snacked on crackers as soon as she got up every morning while she was pregnant with me. It helped her a lot." She opened her locker to get her chemistry book. "By the way, don't carry anything too heavy. That could hurt the baby."

"Cassie, I'm pregnant, not suffering from a bad back," Ashley responded quietly yet annoyingly. "Besides, I don't have much stuff in my backpack at all. Nor is my book heavy."

"That's good," Cassie said and closed her locker. She turned around to lean her back against it. They looked at each other. "I'm glad it's not raining today."

"So am I," Ashley whispered in relief. "If there is one thing I don't like about rain, it's that a large amount can fall within a short period of time."

"At least it makes grass and flowers grow," Cassie pointed out.

"Those flowers will never be as pretty as you two ladies are," a male voice said and laughed loudly.

Ashley and Cassie winced in irritation and looked toward Johnny, who stood by the stairs. He was chewing gum. He blew a big bubble in it, which popped loudly. He used his tongue to get it back in his mouth. He made his way toward the girls. He moved Cassie out of the way and braced his hand against Ashley's locker.

"It's nice to see you back in school," Johnny greeted with a smile. He started smacking his gum in which it disgusted Ashley.

"Don't you know it's rude to smack your gum?" Ashley asked seriously.

"Oh, sorry," Johnny apologized and pressed his lips together. "I hope your illness didn't make you lay around all day yesterday."

"I did take a nap yesterday. Other than that, I kept myself busy by reading and watching TV," Ashley answered.

"That's nice. I was wondering if you'd like—" Johnny started eagerly.

"No, I don't want to go on a date with you," Ashley interrupted sharply.

Johnny snapped his fingers. "You read my mind. Are you a telepath now?"

Ashley scoffed. "No, but it's not hard to guess anymore. Just give the hell up. I don't want to go out with you."

"Come on, Ashley. We're perfect for each other," Johnny insisted.

"No, we aren't. You're not attracted to me because of who I am. You're attracted to me because of my looks. If I were ugly, you wouldn't think twice to look at me," Ashley said fiercely.

"She is right about that," Andros said, coming to his girlfriend's side. He took her hand into his. "You're so shallow that it isn't funny." He acted as if he were spitting at Johnny's feet.

"Not to mention spoiled and selfish," Cassie said, joining Andros's side.

"I'm not spoiled and selfish. I'm a very important person," Johnny retorted arrogantly.

Cassie laughed humorlessly. "You're no more important than anyone else is in this world." A serious expression formed on her face. "There will always be a guy who is more handsome than you will ever be, no matter how unattractive he looks."

"It's what's on the inside that counts, not the outside," Andros added with a sharp exhale. "Unfortunately, you will never understand that because you will never see beyond what you can see with your own two eyes."

"Blah, blah, blah," Johnny said mockingly. "Your little lectures are so boring."

"Why don't you listen to someone for once?" Ashley asked sternly.

"You could learn something," Andros said, a soft growl coming out of his mouth.

"What I've learned is aliens like you shouldn't be living on Earth, bub," Johnny said with a hiss. "You need to go back to where you came from."

Andros showed defiance. "It's not happening, Johnny. I'm a permanent resident of Earth. There's nothing you can do about it. You might as well buzz off." He tightened his grip on Ashley's hand. "Most importantly, leave Ashley alone. She's not a prize to be won."

"I will win her affection one day," Johnny commented. "You'll see."

Johnny turned on his heel and walked toward the stairs. He bumped into a student without excusing himself as she headed toward the restroom. She stopped in her tracks and stared after him in anger as he went upstairs. Andros, Ashley, and Cassie shook their heads in disbelief.

"Talk about a lack of civility," Cassie said with a loud scoff.

"Johnny will never see the forest for the trees," Ashley said bluntly.

"Forget about that bozo," Andros said as Ashley turned to him. "Let's talk about our baby." He touched her stomach. "I can't wait to see it on the ultrasound."

"Me neither," Ashley whispered with a sweet giggle. "I brought crackers with me just in case I feel any nausea coming on. Mom advised it."

"I see," Andros replied in a quiet manner. He pulled her into a hug. She responded by hugging him back. "I'm so glad we have the support of our families."

"Me too," Ashley commented. They pulled apart to look at each other. "We also have the support of Cassie and her family."

"Don't you two forget that," Cassie said, narrowing her eyes at the couple as they looked at her. "You hear?"

Andros and Ashley nodded at their friend. Just then, TJ, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin walked up to them. The trio turned to the group, furrowing their eyebrows.

"Hey, guys," TJ greeted.

"Hey yourself, Teej," Cassie responded with a small chuckle.

"Boy, am I glad to see you back in school, Ash," Justin commented.

Ashley smiled in warmness. "I'm glad to be back, Justin. I don't think I could handle missing another day of school."

"I hope today's chemistry class turns out to be much better than yesterday's was," Carlos said, swallowing hard.

Andros sighed heavily. "So do I, Carlos. Unfortunately, we never know when Brian will start fooling around."

"You guys are lucky. I have to deal with him sitting behind me," Cassie mumbled, kicking at the floor in frustration.

"At least you've got three guys ready to defend you there if Brian starts messing with you," Zhane pointed out gently.

"Yep," Karone added.

Cassie formed a small smile on her face. Andros and Ashley looked down the hallway both ways. They motioned for TJ, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin to come closer. Their friends did so.

"Zhane, Carlos, Justin, Ashley and I need to tell you three something," Andros whispered, taking slow yet even breaths.

"What's going on, man?" Carlos asked confusingly.

"Well, you see. I'm—I'm pregnant," Ashley replied, her body starting to tremble a little bit.

"I'm the father of her baby," Andros added.

Zhane, Carlos, and Justin let out quiet yet shocked gasps, which made Andros and Ashley wince. They opened and closed their mouths, unable to get words to form. TJ, Karone, and Cassie didn't react at all, though they had little doubt their friends would react like this. Carlos was about to open his mouth when Andros held up his hand.

"You don't have to say it, Carlos. Ashley and I have been doing it since the cabin. We haven't been exactly careful either," Andros said and put his hand at his side.

"I can't believe you two. I thought you were a lot smarter than that," Carlos scolded as he gave Andros and Ashley a glare.

"You'd think—" Zhane started.

"Don't say it, Zhane. We know, and we're very sorry," Ashley apologized with much guilt and shame. "We wish we could take it back, but we can't."

"But what about—" Justin started.

"We don't want to hear anything about college, Justin. We're not worried about that right now. We're worried about how our baby is doing," Andros interrupted in a sharp manner. "We're keeping it, and we're raising it."

"We will try our hardest to be good parents to our child," Ashley added in much determination.

"You know that people will be looking down on you more than they do other teen parents due to you two being Power Rangers once," Justin said seriously.

"We know, but we don't care, Justin," Andros answered defiantly. "I won't abandon Ashley and the baby ever. They're my life."

Carlos, Zhane, and Justin looked toward each other. They were uncertain about Andros and Ashley's ability to parent their baby, but they admired their determination to do it. They had always considered them to be the most mature members of their group. They shifted their attention back to them.

"I'm glad you both are taking responsibility. I'm with you all the way," Zhane announced.

"So am I," Carlos added.

"You can count me in," Justin said with much pride.

"Thank you," Andros said in a warm manner. "We really appreciate it."

"We're sorry about how we reacted," Zhane muttered guiltily. "We just didn't expect this."

"We understand, Zhane," Andros whispered in a gentle manner. "I would've reacted the same way if you had gotten my sister pregnant."

"There's something you three should know. TJ, Karone, and I already know about the baby. Our families know too," Cassie commented.

Zhane, Carlos, and Justin felt their jaws drop. They looked at TJ and Karone, who appeared a little nervous.

"Why didn't you two say something?" Carlos asked.

"It was better for you three to hear it from Andros and Ashley themselves," TJ answered defensively.

"This isn't news you want to hear from someone else," Karone commented, sighing to herself. "Besides, I'm glad Andros said something to me. I am that baby's aunt after all."

Zhane chuckled as he and the others turned to Andros and Ashley. "I can safely say that I'm going to be an uncle. Andros is my best friend." He gave Andros a high-five.

TJ smirked. "Just be prepared for the smelly diapers, spitting up, and drooling."

"Yes, Zhane should be prepared for all that, TJ," a male voice said honestly.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin looked toward Mr. Kaplan, who stood a short distance away from them. The principal approached them.

"How long have you been standing there, Mr. Kaplan?" Andros asked in curiosity.

"Long enough to hear you share the news of Ashley's pregnancy. I do have sharp hearing as students like to say," Mr. Kaplan said, chuckling quietly. "I have to say the news was a bit of a surprise coming from you two."

"It's not something teens brag about," Ashley whispered, emitting a small sigh. "My mom is working on getting an ultrasound appointment scheduled with an obstetrician named Kai Chen. He works at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. Nancy Jenkins referred me to him after she confirmed my pregnancy at the city's free clinic."

"I'm planning to go with her. I'm going to start looking for a part-time job after the holidays," Andros commented, putting his arm around her shoulder.

Mr. Kaplan nodded at the couple. "I see. It's good you're taking responsibility. I should tell you that the teen parent program excuses you for the day when appointments are during school hours."

"We know. We want this first appointment to be scheduled in the late afternoon. We don't want to deal with a big crowd at the hospital in the morning. It could cause a bit of stress, which isn't good for the baby," Ashley pointed out.

"I can understand that. Well, why don't you two come with me? We can get you signed up for the program with Mr. Freeman right now," Mr. Kaplan said gently.

Andros looked unsure. "But what about our classes, sir? We don't want to be late."

"Don't worry about that, Andros. I'll have Mr. Freeman write both of you excuse notes for your teachers," Mr. Kaplan assured.

"Thank you," Ashley whispered with a small smile.

"Come on," Mr. Kaplan said, waving his hand toward himself. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner you can get to class."

Mr. Kaplan started walking away. Andros and Ashley followed him, the others staring after them until they rounded the corner. TJ, Cassie, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin looked at each other.

"Thank God Mr. Kaplan is always on the side of teen parents," TJ whispered in relief.

"He did get the teen parent program started in 1983. He wanted teen parents to graduate with their peers. He felt it was unfair that school policy had only one option for them. That was being sent to an alternative school," Cassie commented truthfully.

"Yeah. Now, let's get to class before we are late," Carlos suggested.

"Ditto," Justin agreed.

Cassie and Carlos rushed upstairs. Zhane and Karone went left. TJ and Justin headed right, snapping their fingers. Unbeknownst to any of them, Tara peered around the corner. She had been listening in on the conversation about Ashley's pregnancy. She chuckled to herself as there was no way she would pass up the opportunity to let the school know about it.

Tara looked toward a student approaching the stairs. She walked up to him, stopping him in his tracks. She whispered inaudible words into his ear. He nodded slowly. He went to another student standing next to the lockers that were across from the restrooms. He proceeded to whisper into her ear. Tara smiled deviously at the scene unfolding before her.


	31. Sign Up, Teacher Support, and Trouble

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. There is a little bit of Andros/Ashley. I want people to know that some high schools have teen parent programs to help teen parents graduate with their peers by allowing them to make up schoolwork when they miss days due to doctor's appointments or stay home due to sickness in the mothers' case. That's why I decided to give Angel Grove High School a teen parent program. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-two.

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Chapter 31: Sign Up/Teacher Support/Trouble

Fifty-year-old Jeff Freeman was looking through sixteen-year-old Dylan Fraser and sixteen-year-old Sylvia Meeker's file in his office. He mumbled inaudible words. As an African-American, his skin was dark. He was tall and rather lean. He had no hair on his head, save for a beard and sideburns. His face had no wrinkles. His eyes were dark green.

He looked around the medium-sized office. A bookcase filled with books, awards, and framed pictures was off in the corner. A file cabinet was behind his chair. Two chairs were in front of the desk. A computer was on top of the desk and contained a cable modem that was connected to the wall.

He turned back to the file and sighed sadly. He remembered when Dylan and Sylvia came in to sign up for the teen parent program when she was eight weeks pregnant with their son, Ivan, in March. He saw how determined they were to be good parents to him. He felt bad for Dylan because his parents, Ryan and Yuki, demanded he convince Sylvia to have an abortion or risk losing his inheritance, but the boy disowned them instead and moved in with her parents, Ethan and Katie. He didn't blame them for leaving school in May to be homeschooled by Ethan after her pregnancy became high-risk. When Sylvia nearly died giving birth on October 15, he was one of many people from school who visited her. The last the school heard from the couple, Sylvia's recovery was going very well and that Ivan was thriving.

Jeff looked up at the sound of knocking. He closed the folder and scooted his chair over to the cabinet. He opened the second drawer to place the folder inside. He made his way back to his desk and took off his glasses. He cleaned them with the pocket of his black pants. He put them back on and glanced toward the door.

"Come in," Jeff called. The door opened with a loud squeak, and Mr. Kaplan walked in. "Mr. Kaplan, what brings you here?"

"I have two students who have come to sign up for the teen parent program," Mr. Kaplan answered. "You might be a little bit surprised with these two. I was."

"Well, bring them in," Jeff said, tapping the desk with his hands.

"All right," Mr. Kaplan said with a chuckle. He looked away and waved his hand toward himself. He stepped aside, allowing Andros and Ashley to come in. Jeff's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out like slinkies.

"Andros, Ashley, you two are the last people I expected to become teen parents," Jeff commented with a small chuckle. "After all, you two took on the responsibility of protecting the universe from evil."

"Yes, but even Power Rangers do dumb things," Andros said.

"Well, come sit down," Jeff said, gesturing toward the chairs. "We have a lot to talk about in regards to this program."

"If Andros and Ashley end up staying past the bell, please write them excuses for their teachers," Mr. Kaplan said gently. "I don't want them to be sent to detention."

"I will, sir," Jeff responded with a nod.

Andros and Ashley approached the chairs as Mr. Kaplan walked out and closed the door behind him. They took off their backpacks and placed them on the chairs' backs. They pulled them back and seated themselves. Ashley put her book on the floor.

"So, when did you find out that you were pregnant, Ashley?" Jeff asked.

"I found out at the free clinic yesterday," Ashley answered, biting her lip. "I started experiencing symptoms Sunday. They continued into yesterday. I believe I'm between six and seven weeks along."

Jeff nodded at her. "I see. Have you found an obstetrician yet?"

Andros crossed his right ankle over his left. "We hope Kai Chen will care for her during her pregnancy. Her mother is in the process of getting in contact with him."

"We want the first appointment to be in the late afternoon, so we can avoid a big morning crowd. I can't handle a whole of lot stress right now," Ashley explained and cringed badly.

"I understand. Unfortunately, it isn't always possible to schedule doctor's appointments in the afternoon," Jeff said sadly.

Ashley looked down at her lap and touched her stomach. "I know. Though I just found out I'm pregnant, I already love our baby so much."

"So do I, Ash," Andros said, looking at her and placing his hand over hers. He leaned over to kiss her temple, causing her to gaze at him. "We'll prove everyone who tells us we can't be good parents to our baby wrong."

Jeff couldn't keep himself from smiling. It always warmed his heart to see teen parents show determination in raising their children. Of course, it irritated him to hear students and teachers badmouth them, especially Herbert Richards, the physical science teacher. He couldn't count the number of times he wanted to yell in his face over his constant criticism of them. Then again, he knew that was what the teacher wanted. Andros and Ashley turned back to him.

"Since you are in the first trimester of your pregnancy, you won't be giving birth until next summer," Jeff commented.

"Mm-hmm. I won't have to worry about missing graduation because of going into labor. Then again, you never know what could happen," Ashley whispered somewhat fearfully.

"I know. Thank God teen mothers get six weeks of maternity leave if they give birth during the school year as school policy states," Jeff said in relief. "Unfortunately, some teachers see it as an excuse for the moms to miss school and eventually drop out." He showed some anger. "That's not true. Mothers need time to heal and bond with their children, including teenagers. It's not a vacation."

"You're right," Andros agreed. "By the way, I'm going to start looking for a part-time job after the holidays. We want to start saving money as soon as possible."

Jeff expressed proudness. "It's great you are already thinking about the future. Of course, there might already be a job for you."

Andros became a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"I went to the Surf Spot to get a strawberry smoothie yesterday and learned Adelle is looking for people to work for her part-time on weekdays. It'd be twenty hours a week at eight bucks an hour. I suggest you talk to her," Jeff explained.

Andros looked very uncertain. If he started working with Christmas being just around the corner, it'd mean he'd likely miss shopping for gifts unless he could get someone else to do it for him. Then again, it'd mean he could get a head start on saving money for the baby. He nodded at Jeff.

"I'll talk to Adelle about what you said this afternoon," Andros said, taking a deep breath.

"Great," Jeff responded, winking at him.

"Thanks for taking up on Mr. Freeman's suggestion, Andros," Ashley said, looking at the young man. "I think Adelle would be delighted to have you as one of her workers."

Andros smiled, eyeing the young woman. "I think so too."

"Let's get down to business," Jeff said seriously. Andros and Ashley gazed at him. "We take things in the teen parent program very seriously. You probably have heard what goes on from other teen parents, but I just want to remind you. You must tell me whenever a doctor's appointment is scheduled during school hours. In Ashley's case, she has to call me whenever she is feeling too sick to attend school. If you don't tell me about what's going on, then I can't let your teachers know."

"That won't be a problem because Andros and I have always been responsible when it comes to alerting the school about illnesses or doctor's appointments," Ashley replied in much confidence.

"Good. On the days that you're absent, I will come to your homes and give you your schoolwork. You bring your completed schoolwork to school on the day it's due or before. If you are sick on that day, then you let me know. I will come by and pick up your schoolwork, so I can give it to your teachers. You can choose to go to an alternative school if you become uncomfortable attending Angel Grove High," Jeff said with a snort.

"There is no way we're going to an alternative school," Ashley declared.

"We're staying here, no matter how many people judge us," Andros added matter-of-factly.

"Good for you. If you were giving birth during the school year, Ashley, I would be bringing your schoolwork to your house while you were on maternity leave. Instead of you coming to school to hand in your schoolwork, I'd be picking it up for you and giving it to your teachers," Jeff pointed out.

Ashley cupped her chin in her hand. "I know."

Suddenly, the bell rang. Andros and Ashley looked up as Jeff adjusted his glasses a little bit.

"Class is about to start," Andros commented with a small chuckle. He and Ashley glanced at the counselor.

"Let's go on and get the program's forms filled out, so you can be on your way," Jeff suggested.

"Okay," Ashley said, sighing in relief.

Jeff opened the third right drawer and reached in. He pulled out the forms and two pens. He closed the drawer with a slam and handed them to the couple. Andros and Ashley looked over the forms. They began filling them out.

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Andros and Ashley finished filling out their forms within five minutes. They handed them to Jeff, who looked them over. The counselor nodded in approval and laid them on his desk. He opened the drawer underneath him to grab his excuse slips and notepad. Andros and Ashley rose to their feet and grabbed their backpacks. They slipped them over their shoulder. She got her book off the floor. They watched Jeff write them their slips and his phone number. They received the papers from him. They slipped them into their pockets.

"Thank you for helping us get ready for the teen parent program, Mr. Freeman," Andros commented.

"You're welcome, Andros," Jeff answered, nodding at the couple. "Before I forget, the Angel Grove Teen Parent Support Group holds a meeting at the city's adolescent center on the first Saturday of every month. It starts at two o'clock. I recommend you join it."

"Okay," Ashley said, taking a deep breath. "We'll see you later."

Andros approached the door and opened it. Ashley went past him, stopping in her tracks in the waiting room as he came out of the office and closed it behind him. Mr. Kaplan walked up to them.

"How did everything go with Mr. Freeman?" Mr. Kaplan asked in curiosity.

"Everything went fine, sir," Ashley answered happily.

Mr. Kaplan smiled. "Great."

Andros chuckled somewhat nervously. "We'd love to hang around, but we better get to class."

"Of course. Have a good day," Mr. Kaplan said, giving the couple a thumbs-up.

"You too," Ashley said with a nod. "Thanks for bringing us here."

"No problem," Mr. Kaplan said and headed for his office.

Andros and Ashley walked out of the room. They made a left turn and started heading down the empty hallway. He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him.

"I'm so glad that's over with," he whispered in much relief.

"So am I," she said, licking her lips. "I have little doubt this program will help us."

"Yeah. Now, we just have to deal with teachers and students judging us once they find out," Andros muttered and looked toward the stairs as they came into view.

"I—" Ashley started.

"Andros, Ashley, what are you two doing in the hallway after the bell?" Ms. Applebee asked as she came out of the women's restroom. She approached her students, whom came to a stop in front of the stairs.

"Ms. Applebee, hi," Ashley greeted with a small laugh. She felt her boyfriend remove his arm from her shoulder. "We didn't expect to find you in the hallway after the bell."

Ms. Applebee sighed. "When nature calls, you have to do what you have to do." She clasped her hands together. "Do you have excuse slips I can see?"

"Yes, we do," Andros said. He and his girlfriend grabbed their slips from their pockets and gave them to their teacher. They watched her look them over. Ms. Applebee gazed at them, sympathy showing in her eyes.

"I didn't know you two were expecting a baby," Ms. Applebee whispered with a quiet sigh. She gave the slips back to the couple. "I'm not going to judge you at all. I've seen my fair share of teen parents during twenty years of teaching."

"Thank you, Ms. Applebee," Andros said warmly. "We just wanted to get everything taken care of as soon as we could."

"I understand. Well, you better get to your classes," Ms. Applebee said.

Andros nodded at her. "We will."

Ms. Applebee walked past her students. Andros and Ashley looked at each other, letting out relieved sighs.

"It's great to know we have a teacher on our side," Ashley whispered.

"Oh, yeah," Andros said with a small laugh. He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you in history class."

"You too," Ashley responded and walked left. She peered over shoulder at him. "Bye."

"Bye," Andros said, waving to her as she looked ahead. He started to feel uncomfortable and went to the men's restroom, entering the first door on his right.

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Andros reached the top of the stairs four minutes later. He walked quickly toward Mr. Wilton's classroom. He stopped at the door, placing his hand on the doorknob. He prayed his teacher wouldn't be angry with him. He turned it and opened the door. He walked in and closed it behind him. Mr. Wilton looked up from reading _To Kill a Mockingbird._ So did the students from doing their assignment on chemical equations.

"Andros, it's nice that you finally decided to join us," Mr. Wilton said with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry for my tardiness, sir, but I had something I had to take care of," Andros responded and approached his teacher. He gave him his slip. "It was very important."

Mr. Wilton mumbled inaudible words as he looked over it. He turned to Andros with sympathy in his eyes. He motioned for him to lean closer to him. Andros complied willingly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know about you and Ashley having a baby," Mr. Wilton whispered in a gentle manner. "You don't have anything to worry about. I won't be one of those judgmental idiots."

"Thank you," Andros responded quietly. He received his worksheet from his teacher. "I'll do my best to complete this assignment."

Mr. Wilton nodded at his student. Andros made his way toward his desk. He noticed many students giving him disapproving looks, including Brian. He had a feeling someone overheard him and Ashley talking about the baby with their friends and spread it around school. He wondered if said person also started rumors about it. He didn't want to think about what they could be.

He reached his desk, taking his backpack off his shoulders and placing it on the floor. He seated himself and set his worksheet on top of it. He unzipped his backpack, so he could get his pencil. He zipped it shut and turned to his worksheet. He was about to start working on it when he heard a 'Psst!' He and Carlos looked over their shoulders to see Leo waving.

"What is it, Leo?" Andros asked.

"We shouldn't be talking," Carlos warned seriously. "Remember what happened yesterday."

Leo nodded. "I know, but word is going around that Andros and Ashley are expecting a baby."

Andros became tense. He knew he wasn't going to get out of this. "You heard right, Leo. We found out just yesterday."

"The rest of the gang already knows about it," Carlos added, some nervousness showing in his voice. He hoped Mr. Wilton wouldn't catch them talking. "We've already pledged our support."

"Well, you can count me on that list of supporters. There is no way in hell that I am turning my back on you two," Leo said with pride.

"Thanks," Andros replied, a small smile crossing his lips.

"Well, you can count me off that list of supporters," a male voice said snobbishly.

Andros's smile faded. He, Carlos, and Leo looked toward Brian, who waved at them. Cassie peered over her shoulder at the troublemaker.

"You really need to get lost, Brian," Andros hissed.

"I will if you and your little slut get lost first," Brian retorted with a soft growl. "You two don't belong here. You belong in some alternative school."

Cassie showed some anger. "No, they don't. They have every right to be here."

"By the way, Ashley isn't a slut. That term is reserved for girls who are actually promiscuous," Leo added in seriousness.

"Ashley's only been with one guy. That's me," Andros said, putting his hand over his heart.

Brian scoffed. "That's what she wants you to hear. I bet she has slept with multiple guys. How can we be sure you are really the father of her baby?"

"Because I know she'd never cheat on me," Andros responded in much determination. "I love her, and she loves me."

"Love is so overrated. It's best to screw girls and leave them. I bet Ashley was really easy," Brian taunted.

Andros became angry and tried to stand up, but Carlos grabbed his shoulders. Brian waved his hands toward himself, laughing mockingly. Mr. Wilton cleared his throat, causing Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian to look at him.

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, Brian, I want you five to stop your shenanigans right now. I don't want a repeat of what happened yesterday. Is that clear?" Mr. Wilton demanded fiercely.

"Yes, sir," the five students responded.

"Good. Brian, I don't want you saying that awful word. If I hear it from you again, it's detention. Do you hear me?" Mr. Wilton asked seriously.

"Yes, sir," Brian said with a nod.

"Thank you," Mr. Wilton answered, letting out an irritated sigh. "Now, get to work!"

Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian focused on their worksheets. Mr. Wilton resumed reading. Just then, a paper airplane flew past him and hit the whiteboard. It landed on the floor. He laid his book on the desk. He scooted his chair over to the airplane and picked it up. He opened it, finding it read, 'Mr. Wilton is so stupid that he can't keep his hair.' Anger flashed in his eyes, and he looked toward his students. He saw Brian writing on his worksheet.

"Brian!" Mr. Wilton shouted and stood up.

Brian was startled and looked at his teacher. "What?"

"You are to go to detention for throwing this paper airplane with this message on it right now!" Mr. Wilton demanded, holding up the paper.

"I didn't do it, sir! Honest!" Brian lied.

"Don't give me that. I recognized your handwriting on this paper. Gather your things, and go to detention!" Mr. Wilton said in fierceness.

"But—" Brian started.

Mr. Wilton emitted a loud hiss. "Now!"

Brian mumbled inaudible words as he rose to his feet. He looked about ready to pull his hair out of his head. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, calming himself down. He grabbed his chemistry book from underneath his desk, followed by his assignment from on top of it. He picked his duffel bag up off the floor and put it over his shoulder. He approached the desk as Mr. Wilton sat down in the chair and scooted it back over.

Mr. Wilton wrote on a pink slip and gave it to Brian. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo watched the troublemaker head for the door. They smirked as he shot them a dirty look. They were glad they wouldn't have to deal with him for the rest of the period. He opened the door and went into the hallway, closing it. The quartet got back to work. Mr. Wilton tossed the paper into the trashcan next to his desk. He grabbed his book to resume reading it.


	32. Some Disapproval and Baby Conversation

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just three days to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and Zhane/Karone. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-three.

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Chapter 32: Some Disapproval/Baby Conversation

Andros and Ashley were walking hand-in-hand toward Ms. Applebee's classroom in the late morning. They saw many students staring at them with disapproval as they passed them. Some whispered to each other. The lovebirds tightened their grip on each other's hands somewhat.

Andros and Ashley reached the fifth door on their left and went into the classroom. They saw more students look at them disapprovingly. Several whispered to each other. Andros and Ashley released their hold on each other when they reached their desks.

The lovebirds took their backpacks off their shoulders and placed them on the backs of their chairs. They unzipped them to get their notebooks out. They zipped them shut before laying their notebooks on their desks. They seated themselves. Andros grabbed his notebook and opened it. He flipped through the pages until he reached the tenth one. He turned around and showed his notes to Ashley, who looked at them closely.

"This is where we stopped on the fall of the Roman Empire yesterday," he said, tapping his finger on the page.

"I see. Do you think we could stop by the library before we leave school, so we can get some copies made?" she wondered.

"Sure," Andros said, warmth echoing from his voice. "That will save you the strain of writing several pages of notes." He closed the notebook and laid it back on his desk.

Ashley groaned. "I can't count the number of times my hand started hurting due to writing so much. Holding the pencil or pen correctly doesn't help."

Andros chuckled. "I'm lucky. I just use my telekinesis to do the writing when my hand starts hurting really bad." He smirked smugly.

"Wipe off that silly smirk. This is the army," Ashley replied in Haithi's voice.

"Nice imitation of Haithi's voice," Andros complimented.

"Why, thank you," Ashley said, a giggle leaving her mouth. "I do love _The Jungle Book._ "

"So do I. Mowgli is such a brave boy for standing up to Shere Khan. He was determined not to flee from him," Andros commented, his voice filled with pride.

"Everyone knows fleeing from a tiger is a terrible idea," Ashley muttered with some nervousness. "It can catch up to you in a few strides."

"Maybe you two should stand up to a real tiger," a male voice said maliciously.

Andros and Ashley turned toward Johnny, who stood a short distance away from his desk. Johnny approached them, clenching his teeth. He tightened his grip on his backpack strap as it hung over his shoulder.

"You need to stop butting in on other people's conversations, Johnny," Andros snapped fiercely. "It's rude."

"Oh, what a snippy remark, alien boy," Johnny sneered and emitted a loud hiss. "Maybe your slutty girlfriend should back you up." He pointed his finger at Ashley. "Yep. I know you got pregnant with his baby. It's all over school. You're nothing to me now. You're just sloppy seconds."

Andros expressed some anger. "You watch your mouth, you jerk. Ashley isn't a slut. I'm the only guy she has ever been with. She and I did it because we love each other. That's something you can never understand."

Ashley showed determination. "You're just bitter because I became pregnant with Andros's child, Johnny. It doesn't matter, though. He'll make an excellent father. On the other hand, you'd make a terrible father. You'd see your child as nothing but an extension of you, or you'd play no part in its life."

"Blah, blah, blah," Johnny retorted very mockingly. "I don't want to hear it. Enjoy your time with your alien boyfriend. He'll tire of you and your little brat eventually and leave both of you in the dust. You're destined to be a hamburger flipper at McDonalds for the rest of your life."

"That's what you think," Ashley hissed.

"You can forget about us going to an alternative school. It's not happening," Andros added.

Johnny waved the couple off and walked to his desk. He took his backpack off his back to lay it on the floor. He unzipped it, getting his notebook out of it. He zipped it closed. He laid his notebook on the desk before sitting down. Andros and Ashley turned to each other.

"I want to rip that bastard's head off. He had no right calling you sloppy seconds," Andros whispered angrily.

"It doesn't matter, Andros," Ashley replied matter-of-factly. She leaned closer to him. "I am fine with not being a virgin anymore. In fact, I wouldn't have cared if you weren't one yourself."

"I wouldn't have cared if you weren't a virgin either," Andros said, kissing her nose. "On top of that, just because a girl takes birth control doesn't mean she is sexually active."

"That's right," Ashley agreed. "Many girls take birth control to regulate their periods like I do. Some take to get rid of severe acne. Others take it to reduce the amount of menstrual bleeding if they have very heavy periods."

Andros was about to say something else when the bell rang. He turned around quickly. He and Ashley unzipped their backpacks to get their pencils. They zipped them closed. The last of the students entered the classroom and sat at their desks. Ms. Applebee walked in, closing the door behind her.

"Good morning, class," Ms. Applebee said, approaching the desk to set her briefcase on it.

"Good morning, Ms. Applebee," the students responded.

"We are going to continue our discussion on the fall of the Roman Empire," Ms. Applebee said, walking to the front of her desk. "Before we begin, I'd like to welcome Ashley back to our class. You probably have heard she and Andros are—"

"Yeah, teach. We heard the alien boy and the slut are having a baby," Johnny interrupted with malice. He smirked at some of the students laughing.

"Don't call Ashley a slut, you jerk," Andros shouted in anger. He looked toward Johnny. "She'd never be that kind of girl."

"Oh, please. She wants you to think you've been her only partner. I bet she's slept with so many guys that she doesn't know who her baby's father is. She is only pinning it on you in hopes that it is yours," Johnny leered with a cackle.

"Why, you—" Andros started through clenched teeth.

"All right, cut it out, boys," Ms. Applebee ordered. Andros and Johnny looked at her. "This holds true for you, Johnny. If I hear you say slut again, you're going to detention. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Johnny answered, drawing a halo above his head with his finger.

Some students snickered. They grew quiet when their teacher shushed them. Everyone opened his or her notebooks. Ms. Applebee went to behind her desk to open her briefcase. She took out a red marker and removed its cap. She approached the whiteboard.

"One of the many factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire was the rise of Christianity," Ms. Applebee said, writing on the whiteboard. "The Christian religion happened to be monotheistic. It ran counter to the traditional Roman religion, which was polytheistic. The Romans persecuted the Christians because of their beliefs during different times. These beliefs were popular among the poor."

The students wrote down their teacher's notes. Andros mumbled inaudible words, as did Ashley. Ms. Applebee ceased writing and faced her class.

"In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great ended all persecution of the Christians. He declared toleration for Christianity," Ms. Applebee said, licking her lips. "Later that century, Christianity became the official state religion of the Empire. This drastic change in policy spread this new religion to all parts of the Empire."

"How quickly did Christianity spread throughout the Empire, ma'am?" Andros wondered.

"It spread rather fast, Andros," Ms. Applebee answered honestly. "Of course, Christianity has its roots in ancient times." She scratched her neck. "In fact, its origin dates back over two thousand years."

"Wow," Ashley said in awe.

"By approving Christianity, the Roman state directly undermined its religious traditions," Ms. Applebee continued and turned back to the whiteboard. She resumed writing on it. "By this time, Romans considered their emperor a god, but the Christian belief in one god weakened his authority and credibility."

"It's kind of stupid for the Romans to consider their emperor a god when Christianity believes in just one," Johnny said.

"It might sound stupid to you, Johnny, but this is history," Ms. Applebee retorted, peering over her shoulder at the boy. "This declaration was an important part of the Empire."

Ms. Applebee looked at the whiteboard. She continued to write on it. Ashley rubbed her stomach when she heard it growling. Andros peered over his shoulder at her.

"What is it, Ash?" he asked in concern.

"I'm feeling really hungry. I don't know if I'm going to make it until lunch," she whispered in uncertainty.

He became thoughtful. "Maybe you could ask Ms. Applebee if she will let you snack on your crackers."

She raised her eyebrows. "Okay."

Ashley raised her hand, showing some nervousness. Ms. Applebee stopped writing and turned around. She spotted it.

"Yes, Ashley?" Ms. Applebee asked.

Ashley lowered her hand. "Ms. Applebee, is it okay if I can snack on crackers? I'm feeling very hungry right now."

Ms. Applebee nodded at her. "Of course, you can. If you're still hungry, you can get a snack from the vending machine."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," Ashley said sweetly. "I have plenty of crackers."

She unzipped her backpack and reached in, pulling out a plastic bag filled with crackers. She zipped the former closed before placing the latter on her desk. She opened the bag, grabbing a cracker. She nibbled on it. Laughter caught her attention, and she looked toward Johnny. Andros glared at him.

"You better not eat too many crackers. You'll become a fat slut," Johnny teased.

Ashley huffed. "Get real, Johnny. Crackers don't have many calories."

"Besides, some fat people have medical conditions that cause them to be that way. Their medications can also be responsible for it," Andros added.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard all that before, alien boy. Ashley doesn't look like someone with a medical condition that could cause obesity. She looks perfectly healthy to me. She may be in perfect shape right now, but she will lose all self-control and pig out on junk food eventually. After she becomes a really fat slut, you won't find her attractive anymore," Johnny blurted out.

Ms. Applebee spun around, anger flashing in her eyes. "Johnny, I warned you to not use that word! You are to go to detention right now!"

"Oh, come on, teach," Johnny said, looking at his teacher. "You can't be serious!" He put his hands behind his head.

"I am serious," Ms. Applebee retorted in fierceness. "You will learn to respect others, especially pregnant women. Now, gather your things, and go to detention!"

Johnny huffed to himself and stood up. He picked his backpack up off the floor to put it over his shoulders. He grabbed his notebook and made his way over to his teacher's desk. Ms. Applebee approached it and wrote on a pink slip. She gave it to him. He made his way toward the door. Andros and Ashley looked at him as he shot them a dirty look.

Andros and Ashley formed big smirks on their faces. They were glad they wouldn't have to deal with the troublemaker for the rest of the period. Johnny opened the door and walked into the hallway, closing it. Andros and Ashley shifted their attention to their notebooks to resume writing. Ms. Applebee faced the whiteboard, speaking as she wrote more stuff on it.

00000

The cafeteria was filled with much activity ten minutes after noon. A student chewed gum as he approached the cashier with a regular milk in the first line. He paid her sixty-five cents and got fifteen back. He grabbed his milk and walked away from her. He blew a small bubble in his gum. He popped it and used his tongue to get it back in his mouth.

The student passed Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone, who sat at the eighth table. Andros and Ashley were in the first and second seats on the left. Zhane and Karone had the first and second seats on the right. They listened to Andros telling them about what happened with Johnny in Ms. Applebee's class. They chuckled quietly after he was finished.

"I wish I could've been there to see Johnny going to detention. I would've been smirking along with you and Ashley, buddy," Zhane said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Me too," Karone agreed. She grabbed her fork and poked it into her salad. She got a decent amount on and put it into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed with a loud gulp. "There's nothing more I'd love to do is kick his butt for calling Ashley a slut."

"Me too," Zhane agreed and stretched his arms above his head. "I hope I leave a nice big footprint on his pants."

Andros smirked. "So do I. Even better would be him landing face first in a mud puddle after we kick him."

Zhane laughed in delight. "Yeah!"

Andros and Zhane high-fived each other. They formed fists and bumped them together, winking at each other. Ashley and Karone looked at each other and gave shrugs.

"It's good to know that Mr. Wilton and Ms. Applebee don't tolerate that awful word," Karone said in relief.

"Oh, yeah," Andros agreed. He picked up a fry and popped it in his mouth. He proceeded to chew.

"I don't understand how a girl who makes love with her boyfriend is a slut, yet another girl who wears revealing clothing is sexy," Zhane mumbled with a roll of his eyes. He grabbed his chocolate milk to take a sip. He put it down, sighing to himself.

"I know. It's crazy," Ashley grumbled with a loud scoff. "If you ask me, slut should be banned from our vocabulary. It's used too often."

Andros swallowed with a quiet gulp. "Ain't that the truth?"

Ashley mock-glared her boyfriend. "Don't say ain't. You know it's not a word."

"Hey, you made me say it," Andros said, turning to her.

"I did not!" Ashley growled, elbowing him in the arm.

"You did too!" Andros retorted in playfulness.

"I did not!" Ashley answered, blowing a raspberry at him.

"You did too!" Andros said, sticking his tongue out at her.

"I did not!" Ashley blurted out.

"Okay, okay! That's enough!" Zhane yelled, waving his hands in the air. Andros and Ashley gazed at him, furrowing their brows. "You both are being pains in the butt."

"Maybe we are, but he's the bigger pain in the butt," Ashley said, jerking her thumb in Andros's direction.

"Hey!" Andros said in mock anger.

"It's the truth, love," Ashley giggled and looked at him. "You might as well accept it."

Andros growled playfully and kissed her forehead. He rubbed the same spot. He slid his hand downward to her stomach. He patted it very gently. Ashley laid hers over it, sighing in content.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing our baby on the ultrasound," Andros whispered lovingly.

"So am I. I'm so glad we learned Mom was able to schedule my appointment with Kai for this Friday at three-thirty when I called her," Ashley replied and took her hand off his. She pulled three pepperonis off her pizza, which had mustard all over it. She popped them into her mouth. She chewed slowly but surely. She swallowed, smacking her lips. "I have to say mustard on pizza is pretty good."

"It's a weird food combo, but I can deal with it," Andros said, giving her another forehead kiss. "I'll have to over the next seven-and-a-half months."

"So, have you guys thought of any names?" Zhane wondered as his friends turned to him.

"Jeez, Zhane!" Karone scolded, elbowing him in the arm. "They just found out about the baby!"

"Sorry!" Zhane yelled, holding up his hands. He laid them on the table. "I just want to know."

"We haven't thought of any names," Andros answered truthfully.

"Our first priority is to know how our baby is doing," Ashley added. "Then we'll talk names. Please, don't ask again, okay?"

"Okay," Zhane commented.

Andros took his hand off Ashley's stomach and picked up his burger. He bit into it, chewing at a steady pace. He swallowed, letting out a quiet gulp. He laid it down before smacking his lips. She picked up her regular milk and sipped it. She put it down and slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. Zhane grabbed a chicken tender. He nibbled on it.

"Do you plan on breastfeeding your baby, Ashley?" Karone whispered curiously.

"Yes, I am. That is unless something prevents me from doing that," Ashley responded somewhat nervously.

"You can always use a breast pump to get your milk if your baby can't latch on," Zhane said quietly while pointing his tender at his friend. "Many mothers use breast pumps for a variety of reasons." He laid it down. "One of them is to freeze breast milk for use in the future."

Ashley laughed to herself. "Oh, yeah. Breast milk can be frozen for up to six months." She grabbed another pepperoni to put in her mouth. She proceeded to chew. "It can also be donated to milk banks."

"Some adoptive mothers pump their breasts, so they can the breastfeed their adopted babies," Zhane commented.

Karone looked at him with a small smile. "That is a great way for adoptive mothers to bond with their adopted infants more closely."

"Yep," Zhane said, eyeing her. He planted a kiss to her forehead and rubbed it in. They returned their attention to Andros and Ashley.

"While we're on the subjects of babies, I want to let you two know that I'm planning to talk to Adelle about working with her at the Surf Spot this afternoon. Mr. Freeman told me about openings she had," Andros commented seriously as he got his chocolate milk and took a long sip of it. He put it down with a small sigh.

"Buddy, it's nice you're already thinking about the future, but are you sure that you want to start working at the Surf Spot so close to Christmas? I mean, you'd be—" Zhane replied uncertainly.

"I know I'd likely miss Christmas shopping, but I want to get a head start on saving money for the baby. After all, I might get lucky and not have to work during the week of Christmas," Andros pointed out and put his arm around Ashley to hug her.

"So true," Ashley said, swallowing with a loud gulp. She leaned into his embrace. "Despite it will only be eight bucks an hour, you'll be making more money than most teens do at their first jobs."

"That I will," Andros agreed, hugging her a little tighter. "The best part about this situation is we have a great support system."

"Of course, we have to face the grandparents at Christmas," Ashley muttered in some fear.

Andros kissed her temple. "I know. No matter what their reaction is, I'm not giving our baby up."

Ashley slipped her arm around his waist. "Neither am I."

Andros planted another kiss to her temple. He rubbed the same spot in a very light manner. They released their hold on each other.

"If there is one thing I can admire about you two, it's your ability to not let difficult situations get you down," Karone complimented with a warm smile.

"Even when faced with unspeakable danger, you both always stayed strong," Zhane added, winking at Andros and Ashley.

"Oh, yeah," Karone agreed happily.

"Thank you," Andros whispered with a small sniffle. "You don't know how much that means to us." A tear fell from his eye.

"By the way, we're planning to join the Angel Grove Teen Parent Support Group. However, we won't be attending this month's meeting since the ultrasound appointment is the day before it. It's likely I'll be too tired to attend," Ashley added.

"You have to do what you have to do," Zhane said truthfully. He smiled at his friends and girlfriend voicing their agreement. "On top of that, Karone and I get dibs on the babysitting." He wiggled his eyebrows. "After all, we are the baby's uncle and aunt."

"We'll see," Andros commented, rolling his eyes. He and the others proceeded to finish their lunches.


	33. In a Chance

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I can't believe I've gotten over two hundred reviews. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, TommyOliverMMPRFan, and katxox for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. Anyway, this chapter has a small bit of TJ/Cassie. I will be introducing more Lost Galaxy characters in the next several chapters. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-four.

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Chapter 33: In a Chance

The cafeteria bristled with much activity thirty minutes later. A student carried his tray toward the trashcan next to the door leading outside. He passed TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix, who were chatting away at the sixth table. TJ, Cassie, and Kendrix were in the fourth, fifth, and sixth seats on the right. Carlos and Justin had the fifth and sixth seats on the left.

"And the guy said, 'That's no kindergartener. That's my wife!'" TJ shouted, laughing aloud.

"I swear, that joke gets funnier every time I hear it, Teej," Cassie said, slapping him on his back.

Kendrix chuckled lightly. "Who would've thought Principal Prickly would tell it to the teachers in _Recess?_ "

"I know," Carlos said and picked up his hamburger to bite into it. He put it down. He chewed quickly and swallowed with a loud gulp. "You'd think a principal like him wouldn't have a sense of humor. Then again, who cares?" A big smile crossed his face. "The joke is funny as heck."

"Yep," Justin agreed. He pulled a sausage off his pizza. He placed it in his mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly. "I wish I could be like Randall. It'd be fun snitching on all the naughty students." He clapped three times.

Carlos smacked his lips. "There is one thing TJ Detweiler and I have in common. We both love to play pranks on other people. I bet I'd beat him in a prank-pulling contest." Smugness showed on his face.

"Sure, you would," Cassie said sarcastically.

Carlos waved Cassie off, getting a laugh from her. Two students headed for the second line. They grabbed chocolate milks. Kendrix picked up her fork to poke it into her salad. She got a decent amount on it. She placed it into her mouth. She chewed slowly yet surely. She swallowed with a quiet gulp. She laid her fork down.

"It's pretty cool TJ shares his name with the biggest prankster in _Recess,_ " Kendrix said, laying her hands on the table.

"Yeah. I'd love to name my daughter Xena after the warrior princess herself," Cassie said with a sweet laugh. "It's such a beautiful name for such a tough woman."

Carlos smiled warmly. "Gabrielle is a beautiful name for a tough woman too." He stifled a snicker. "Who would've thought a simple farm girl would become an Amazon queen?"

"I really like Ephiny. It's the perfect name for the queen of the Greek Amazons," Justin commented.

Kendrix sighed in content. "I would love to name my daughter Ephiny after her. It's beautiful, yet it sounds tough."

"Oh, yeah," Cassie said, pulling a pepperoni off her pizza and popping it into her mouth. She chewed quickly, swallowing with a loud gulp. "Like Xena and Gabrielle, Ephiny can be very stubborn."

"You're just as stubborn as those ladies are," TJ said as he looked down at her with a smirk. He grabbed his chocolate milk to take a sip. He put it down.

Cassie mock-glared him. "You better take that back or else."

"Or else what, you'll take me to the roof and throw me off to see if I can fly?" TJ quipped, ticking her nose.

"I'd love to do that," Cassie responded, breaking into a fits of giggles. "Then I can jump after you to see if I can fly."

TJ ruffled Cassie's hair. She pushed his hand away and waved hers in front of his face. She raised it, jerking it downward. He gave her cheek a light slap. She rushed two fingers forward, only to be blocked when he held his hand sideways between his eyes. He pushed her hand down. They smiled at each other. They looked at Kendrix when she laughed.

"You two would make great Stooges," Kendrix said, propping her head up with her elbow.

"How about you join us and become a Stooge, Kendrix? I bet you could be just as funny as we are," TJ suggested.

"No, thanks. I'd rather read science books and invent stuff," Kendrix admitted, picking up her fork. She poked it into a cherry tomato and put it in her mouth. She chewed in a slow yet sure manner. She swallowed, smacking her lips. "I also like looking through my telescope."

"Neat," Cassie said in much awe.

"Do you think you'll discover any planets?" Justin asked curiously.

"I don't know, but it's possible. Giving a name to a planet I discover would be a big challenge," Kendrix said honestly.

"You could always consult scientists for ideas on a name," Carlos suggested.

"Like Billy," Justin said, a smile crossing his lips. "He comes up with all sorts of cool names for things."

"It's too bad he's travelling right now," TJ muttered dejectedly. "If he wasn't, you could talk to him." He let out a small sigh.

"He could be home for Christmas. You just never know," Cassie said, running her hands through her hair.

Kendrix shrugged. She got some salad onto her fork and placed it in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed. She smacked her lips before licking them. She placed her fork down.

"I want to thank you guys for being my friends," Kendrix whispered, her voice filled with warmth. "If it weren't for Cassie inviting me to sit with you after she stopped Tara from bullying me, I'd still be sitting alone." She felt a tear fall down her cheek.

"You did not deserve to be bullied like that. Tara is one of the worst bullies in this school," Cassie grumbled angrily.

"No shit, Sherlock," TJ whispered, peering over his shoulder at Mr. Kaplan chatting with a student next to the first line. He hoped the principal didn't hear him. The last thing he wanted was for him to rant about cursing. He turned back to his friends. "I have to say she nearly makes Bulk and Skull look like angels."

Carlos swallowed hard. "Moreover, Andros and Ashley will have to deal with bullying from her and other students now that they are expecting a child."

Kendrix showed much disgust. "I heard people calling Ashley a slut in the hallway while I was on my way here." She winced irritably. "I hate when that word is used to describe a sexually active girl."

"I say some people think non-virgin girls are bad news, no matter how few sexual partners they've had," TJ commented.

"It makes me sick that men are given a free pass when they sleep around while women are vilified for it," Cassie hissed and clenched her teeth. "Both men and women should be fussed at."

"You're right, Cass," TJ agreed.

"You want to know a woman who really is a slut?" Kendrix wondered.

Carlos showed much curiosity. "Who?"

Justin leaned closer to Kendrix, looking just as curious. "Yeah, who?"

"My sister," Kendrix answered swiftly. "Erica has cheated on every guy she has dated. She has bragged about it." She chuckled humorlessly. "Most of her sexual encounters have been unprotected. I've told her she needs to be careful because she could contract an STD or get pregnant countless times. She always dismisses my concerns and tells me I'm jealous of her sexual prowess."

"Erica sounds just like Veronica. Veronica has cheated on every guy she has dated. She has bragged about it. Most of her sexual encounters have been unprotected. We have voiced our concerns about STDs and pregnancy to her countless times, but she always blows us off. She tells us we had no right to stifle her sexuality," Carlos explained.

"It's one thing to have a number of sexual partners over the course of your life. It's another when you have many in a short amount of time," TJ added seriously.

"I can tell you that Mr. Wilton doesn't tolerate the word slut. When he heard it from Brian, he threatened to send him to detention if he heard it again. Of course, he did send Brian there after he threw a paper airplane with an ugly message on it," Cassie said bluntly.

"What did the message say, Cassie?" Kendrix asked.

Cassie pressed her lips together. "It said 'Mr. Wilton is so stupid that he can't keep his hair.' It really pissed him off."

"It would've pissed anyone off," Carlos admitted.

Kendrix sighed to herself. She tightened her ponytail a bit and adjusted her glasses. She folded her arms to lay them on the table.

"If there is one good thing about Andros and Ashley's situation, it's their sexual encounters weren't meaningless. They were filled with love," TJ said.

"That's how it should be," Cassie said with a heavy sigh. "I hate hearing people brag about how many sexual encounters they've had. It's as if they are trying to outdo each other, especially men." She made a retching sound. "The majority of the sexual encounters are meaningless with some being unprotected."

"Despite Andros and Ashley are young, I have little doubt they will be great parents to their baby. They've always been wonderful with children," Justin added.

"Andros and Ashley have already signed up for the teen parent program. That made them late to their classes, but they did get excuse slips from Mr. Freeman," Carlos said, opening and closing his hands to flex his fingers.

"That's good," Kendrix said in much relief. "They'll be able to keep up with their schoolwork." She tapped her fingers on her arm.

"After chemistry class, Andros told Carlos and me that he is planning to talk to Adelle about working with her," Cassie commented. "She's looking for people to work for her part-time at eight bucks an hour."

Kendrix felt her jaw drop. "Eight bucks an hour? That's a great starting pay!"

Justin nodded in agreement. "Mm-hmm. Though Andros's getting a job means he won't spend as much time with us, it's good he wants to go ahead and start saving money for the baby."

"He's a real man for taking responsibility for his child. You don't see too many men like him," Carlos said, clearing his throat.

"It's unbelievable. Andros and Ashley went from being Power Rangers to teen parents in a little over a year," TJ muttered, feeling his body tremble.

Carlos tensed up quite a bit. "People are already saying they're such jokes now."

"They're not jokes to me. They made a mistake and are owning up to it," Kendrix answered with much determination.

Cassie gazed at her friend. "They sure are."

Kendrix was about to say something else when she and her friends heard loud chatter. She, TJ, and Cassie peered over their shoulders Tara, who was seated at the sixth seat on the fifth table's left with seven students gathered around her. Carlos and Justin looked toward the group as well.

"Thanks to me, the whole school knows of Ashley's pregnancy. She and Andros are the biggest jokes now!" Tara blurted out.

The entire group laughed aloud. TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix became angry. The first four had no doubt Tara overheard them discussing Ashley's pregnancy in the hallway before the start of school. It made them and Kendrix sick to their stomachs that she caused all this trouble for Andros and Ashley. Cassie stood up and came up behind the bully.

"Tara, you bitch. How dare you cause all this grief for Andros and Ashley!" Cassie hissed, flaring her nostrils. Tara looked over her shoulder at her.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little Pink Astro Ranger," Tara sneered and gazed toward the girl's friends. "You brought your little Ranger friends and the orphan with you." She stood up, a big smirk forming on her face.

"You had no right to do what you did," Cassie growled fiercely.

"Andros and Ashley are being harassed by the other students because of you!" Carlos yelled.

"They deserve every little bit of harassment, especially Ashley," Tara said, laughing maliciously. "She is such a slut."

Cassie scoffed. "You wear revealing clothing, yet Ashley's a slut for making love with Andros and becoming pregnant with his baby. I don't think so."

"Oh, I think so. I bet Andros isn't even the father of her baby," Tara leered, turning her nose upward. "How many guys has she really slept with?"

"She's only been with one guy. That's Andros," Cassie said defiantly.

"On the other hand, you look like a girl who would sleep around," Kendrix commented, standing up.

Tara approached the girl with a chuckle as Cassie turned around. "Well, well, the little orphan decided to open her mouth. I think you should put a metal plate over it."

"You're the one who needs a metal plate over your mouth. What you did to Andros and Ashley was beyond sick. You had no right," Kendrix said, anger lining her voice.

"Oh, I had every right to let the school know. It's a public place," Tara said, crossing her arms.

"It may be, but Ashley's pregnancy was personal news. That wasn't yours to share," Kendrix commented seriously.

"Then they shouldn't have been talking about it in the hallway. They have become the biggest jokes. It's all their fault," Tara hissed with malice. "Andros will leave Ashley and her brat eventually. She is destined to be a hamburger flipper at McDonald's for the rest of her life. In fact, why don't you go sleep with a guy and get pregnant, little orphan? You can join her there. You deserve it."

Tara uncrossed her arms and backhanded Kendrix across the cheek, making her cry out. She grabbed her ponytail and jerked her head back, relishing at her yelling in pain. Cassie became enraged and stomped up behind her. She wrapped her arm around Tara's throat, which forced her to let go of Kendrix. Tara grabbed it, pulling it off. She spun around and was about to slap Cassie when whistling sounded. They looked toward Mr. Kaplan, who stood a short distance away. The principal approached them.

"What is going on here?" Mr. Kaplan demanded.

"I was just having a nice chat with some students when Cassie rudely interrupted me, sir. I tried to reason with her, but she slapped me instead," Tara said, trying to appear innocent.

"Oh, give me a freaking break, Tara!" Kendrix yelled angrily. Tara, Cassie, and Mr. Kaplan looked toward her. "Cassie did no such thing! She was confronting you over spreading the news of Ashley's pregnancy around. When I spoke up, you came over and got in my face. Then you backhanded me! Cassie pulled you away from me when you grabbed my hair!"

"She's—" Tara started.

"Don't you dare lie your way out of this, Tara," Carlos interrupted sharply as he, TJ, and Justin stood up. Tara, Cassie, Kendrix, and Mr. Kaplan turned to the boys.

"It won't work," Justin commented.

"We saw you attack Kendrix," TJ said in determination.

Mr. Kaplan took closer looks at TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix. He found they were telling the truth. He turned toward Tara, an angry expression in his eyes.

"Tara, you should be ashamed of yourself for spreading the news of Ashley's pregnancy around school. Do you know what trouble you have caused for her and Andros?" Mr. Kaplan demanded.

"Sir—" Tara started.

"Save it," Mr. Kaplan interrupted fiercely. "I don't want to hear your excuses. For attacking Kendrix, you are to go to detention for the rest of your lunch."

"But—" Tara said.

"Now!" Mr. Kaplan shouted sternly.

Tara shot TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix a dirty look. She went over to her seat and picked her backpack up off the floor. She placed it over her shoulders before getting her notebook and calculus book. She approached Mr. Kaplan as he pulled out his pink slip and pen. He wrote on it and handed to her. She headed out the door leading into the hallway. Cassie, Kendrix, and Mr. Kaplan looked at each other.

"Thanks, Mr. Kaplan," Kendrix whispered.

"You're welcome, Kendrix," Mr. Kaplan replied gently and put his pen away. "I'm sorry for what happened to you."

"Don't worry," Cassie commented, eyeing Kendrix. "My friends and I will continue to protect you from bullies."

"Thank you, Cassie," Kendrix said, looking at her friend.

"I better get back to monitoring the other students," Mr. Kaplan said and walked off.

Cassie and Kendrix headed back to their seats to sit down. TJ, Carlos, and Justin sat back down. All five of them emitted relieved sighs.

"Man. Tara got a huge dose of karma," TJ whispered, running his tongue over his teeth.

Justin laughed heartily. "You said it, Teej."

"Karma will continue to bite her on the butt as long as she continues bullying others," Kendrix commented.

Carlos gave a thumbs-up. "That's a fact."

"Yeah," Cassie said, her hand balling into a fist. Her friends followed suit. They bumped their fists together. They put them down and proceeded to finish their lunches.


	34. Help From People in High Places

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and TJ/Cassie. Two Lost Galaxy characters will probably make their first appearances in the next few chapters. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-five.

XXXXX

Chapter 34: Help From People in High Places

The Surf Spot was quiet in the early afternoon. Adelle wiped the bar's counter with a damp rag. She used a paper towel to dry it. She tossed in the trashcan. She stuffed napkins into the napkin holder and placed it on the left. She laid a stack of cups in the middle. She looked toward the TV. She turned it up a little bit. She listened to the anchorwoman talk about the Oklahoma City F5 tornado. She propped her head up with her elbow.

She sighed sadly. She felt so bad for the families of the thirty-six people who died in that horrific storm. At the same time, she was glad the tornado warnings prevented a larger loss of life. She thought about pre-tornado warning days when it wasn't uncommon for more than two hundred people to die in a single violent tornado. The stories of people who survived such deadly storms fascinated her.

She picked up the remote and flipped through the channels until she came to one playing an episode of _Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures_. She watched Jack describe the features of the orca while standing next to the Shamu Stadium tank at Sea World San Diego. She chuckled at Takara and Sumar swimming up behind him and spitting water on him.

She formed a big smile on her face as she laid the remote down. She thought Takara and Sumar were as cute as the orcas at the Angel Grove Aquarium. She wondered if Jack would ever visit the city. She would love to meet him. Footsteps caught her attention. She saw Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone coming her way. She smiled at them.

"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite group of teenagers," Adelle greeted.

"Hey, Adelle," Andros answered. He and Ashley sat on the first and second stools. Zhane and Karone took the third and fourth. They laid their backpacks on the floor. They put their hands on the counter. "What have you been up to?"

"I'm trying to keep this place clean. It can be so difficult," Adelle commented, making a weird noise. "So, where is the rest of your group?"

"TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin had to stop by the bathroom. They told us to go ahead," Ashley explained. "How has your day been so far?"

"It's been going well," Adelle said cheerfully. "What about your day?"

"It's been going well with the exception of Brian, Johnny, and Tara causing trouble as usual. All three of them got detention for their troublemaking, though," Andros explained.

Adelle rolled her eyes. "What I would love to do is give those troublemakers and Bianca kicks to their pants they will never forget."

"Johnny, Brian, Bianca, and Tara aren't the only ones who deserve to be given kicks to their pants. Veronica does too," Karone pointed out.

Zhane scoffed. "No kidding. When you and I ran into her while we were out on a date two weeks ago, she had the gall to call your red sweater with the cute giant panda on it ugly. She also said you should shave all your ugly blond hair off."

"I was so mad that I wanted to punch her lights out, but I didn't because that's what she wanted me to do," Karone added and crossed her arms.

"That's a good girl, Karone," Adelle complimented, winking at her. "Everyone knows you should never attack someone unless you are provoked." She gave a sharp nod.

"Never escalating a battle unless forced to was one of the three main rules of being a Power Ranger. The other two were never using your powers for personal gain and never revealing your identity as a Ranger unless in the case of an emergency," Zhane said honestly.

"Using powers for personal gain meant basking in the glow of rewards that would be bestowed upon you by the populace or getting what you wanted from life if you revealed your identity as a Ranger," Andros added.

"I could see Johnny, Bianca, Brian, Tara, and Veronica using their powers for personal gain if they were Rangers," Ashley mumbled, showing much disgust.

Karone uncrossed her arms. "I could also see them willing to delay saving the universe because their need for attention and admiration would be more important to them." She hissed in some anger.

"Some people are willing to do anything to get attention, even making fools of themselves on national TV," Adelle said with a loud scoff. "They want to brag about how they got noticed for their so-called talent."

"Burping out loud isn't talent. It's called being very rude," Karone said bluntly.

"Who would burp so loudly that an entire room can hear them?" Zhane asked, looking disgusted.

"Only idiots would," Ashley said.

"They have to be huge idiots for that," Adelle said truthfully.

The teens laughed aloud. They turned quiet quickly and shifted their positions in their stools. Just then, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin walked in. They approached the bar.

"You four took a long time in the bathroom," Ashley said as Cassie took the fifth stool. TJ went to Cassie's side. Carlos and Justin stopped behind Zhane and Karone respectively. The quartet set their backpacks on the floor.

"I bet you were all doing your hair," Zhane joked and stifled a snicker.

"You wish, Zhane," Carlos retorted and blew a raspberry at him.

"Besides, I can't do my hair because I don't have any. Justin has too little hair to do anything with," TJ added.

"Anyway, the lines were long like they were six weeks ago," Justin mumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"That's unfortunate," Adelle said sympathetically. "It's times like that you wish the world would go fast." She patted the counter twice. "This is especially true for me when this place is really busy."

"Remember the moral of _The Tortoise and the Hare._ Slow and steady wins the race," Ashley pointed out.

"How can I forget that moral? It's a good one," Adelle said with a big smile on her face.

Ashley shrugged, laughing quietly. TJ stretched his arms above his head. He started to sing nonsense after putting them at his sides. Cassie looked at him and shook her head in disbelief.

"You just had to start singing nonsense, didn't you, Teej?" Cassie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I did," TJ answered and sang more nonsense. "You've got another thing coming if you think I am going to stop."

"I bet this will make you stop," Cassie responded, presenting a fist with a small growl.

"Punch me. I dare you," TJ challenged and resumed his nonsense singing.

"Okay," she said in an evil-sounding voice. She pressed her fist to his chin, which made him get quiet. He swung his arms and leaned backward as if he were falling. "Yeah. Fall to the floor."

"Yeah, right. It's not happening," he responded and became still. He brought himself forward and ruffled her hair. She grabbed his wrist and put his arm at his side. She stared him in the eye with much determination.

"If you do that again, I will take you to the front doors and throw you out!" Cassie threatened playfully.

TJ made a mean face. "Bring it on! Then I can come back in and throw you out!"

"Nah. I'd rather be here right now," Cassie snickered.

"Aw! You had to ruin my fun!" TJ whined.

Cassie smirked, sitting up tall and proud. "Keep whining, TJ. I love hearing it."

TJ pinched Cassie's cheek while speaking baby talk. He let go of her and tickled her nose. She swatted his hand aside and started knocking on his head.

"Hello, hello? Anybody home?" she called.

"There's nobody in here but Mr. Brain," he replied in a deep voice.

She stopped knocking. "I should open your head and take out your brain, so I can put a bigger one in there."

He flicked her nose. "You're the one who needs a bigger brain."

"I don't think so," Cassie said, shaking her head.

"I think so," TJ said while nodding.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, Justin, and Adelle looked at each other with shrugs. TJ and Cassie glanced toward the others. Serious expressions crossed the teens' face.

"Adelle, there's something Ashley and I need to tell you," Andros whispered, sighing heavily.

"What's going on, Andros?" Adelle wondered.

"Well, the thing is…I'm pregnant," Ashley answered, her breathing turning to shudders. "Andros is the father."

Adelle felt her jaw drop to the floor. She thought Andros and Ashley were joking, but she realized quickly they weren't. TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Zhane, Karone, and Justin didn't react, but they had a feeling Adelle's reaction would be like this. Just then, Adelle's shocked expression turned into one of sympathy.

"I never told any of you this, but I was the child of teen parents myself. My parents were eighteen when they had me. They were already married, though. They had my brother four years later," Adelle said.

Cassie appeared shocked. "Whoa."

"How come you never told us?" TJ asked in curiosity.

"It can be rather embarrassing," Adelle pointed out with a small chuckle. "Then again, it was common in those days for people to get married and have children as teens."

"We know," Ashley responded and slid her hand to her stomach. "Andros and I have already decided we're keeping our baby and raising it."

"We're determined to be good parents to our baby," Andros added and put his arm around Ashley to give her a hug.

"You two have my support," Adelle announced. "There is no way I am turning my back on either of you."

Ashley wiped a tear from her eye as Andros let go of her. "Thank you."

"I will tell you this. Being teen parents isn't the end of the world. You just have to do things a bit differently now," Adelle said gently.

"Of course," Ashley agreed. "We signed up for our school's teen parent program this morning. Mr. Kaplan happened to overhear all of us talking about the baby. He took Andros and me to see Mr. Freeman." She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

"Mr. Freeman told me that you are looking for people to work for you part-time during the week for twenty hours at eight bucks an hour," Andros said, pressing his lips together.

"That's right," Adelle said truthfully. "Workers will be assigned to all sorts of tasks, including sweeping and mopping." She folded her hands and laid them on the counter.

"I'd like to work for you," Andros said seriously. "I want to get a head start on saving money for the baby. I'm more than willing to get started tomorrow." He snorted. "You know that school ends at two o'clock."

"Mm-hmm," Adelle whispered with a nod. She unfolded her hands. "Well, you will work from three until seven Monday through Friday. You must let me know if you can't do that on certain days. I can't make changes if you don't."

"Well, I won't be able to work Friday afternoon. I'm going with Ashley to see Kai Chen for an ultrasound at three-thirty," Andros said regretfully.

"We let Mr. Freeman know about that before we left school. We have the day off from school," Ashley added.

Adelle cupped her chin in her hand. "Okay. Would you be willing to come in at eight o'clock in the morning and work until noon on Friday, Andros?"

"Of course," Andros answered eagerly. "That'd give me a few hours to rest before Ashley and I go to the appointment."

"Great," Adelle answered happily. "Well, you've got the job, Andros. You can start tomorrow." She reached under the counter to get a form and a pen. She gave them to Andros. "You need to fill this out. It's standard procedure for all employees. It shouldn't take you long."

"Thank you," Andros said. He placed the form on the counter and began to fill it out. Ashley smiled at her friend.

"You don't know how much we appreciate this, Adelle. We don't want to completely rely on our families for our baby's needs," Ashley commented gratefully.

"Oh, I understand, Ashley. By the way, no one will be working from the day before Christmas Eve to the day after Christmas Day," Adelle said.

Andros looked up, his face showing surprise. "Really?"

"Nope," Adelle answered with a shake of her head. "It wouldn't be fair to deny you or anyone else time with your families."

"Thank you," Andros said, smiling widely. "Thank you so much."

Andros resumed filling out the form. He mumbled inaudible words while blinking three times. Adelle laid her hands on the counter.

"All of us have pledged our support to Andros and Ashley. So have their families. Cassie's family is also supportive as she helped Ashley get her pregnancy confirmed and told them about it," Justin said.

"All the rest of us need to do is tell our families," Carlos added.

"Unfortunately, Tara overheard us talking about the baby and spread it around school," Cassie mumbled dejectedly. "As a result, Andros and Ashley got harassed by some students."

"Johnny was one of them. He called Ashley a slut in Ms. Applebee's class three times. That's why he got detention," Andros said, looking up.

"I hate that word," Adelle said with much disgust. "Men and women aren't sluts unless they've had multiple sexual partners in a short amount of time."

"I wish we could erase that word from existence. It's used too often," Carlos grumbled angrily.

"Yeah," Zhane said, looking as if he were about to vomit.

"Someone should make those people who call others sluts write it on pieces of paper and eat them," Karone growled in determination. "They would be eating their words as Earthlings say."

The others laughed quietly. Andros went back to filling out the form. Adelle started telling Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin about the first time she played on the phone when she was four.


	35. Step Up

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. It looks very likely that two Lost Galaxy characters will be making their first appearances in the next chapter. I also went back and edited all the phone conversations in the chapters that had them. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-six.

XXXXX

Chapter 35: Step Up

The Surf Spot was somewhat crowded in the late morning three days later. Andros pushed the mustard, ketchup, and napkin holder off to the side on a table in front of the bar. He wiped it with a damp rag. He used a paper towel to dry it off. Two young men walked behind him, chatting amongst themselves.

He moved the mustard, ketchup, and napkin holder to the middle of the table. He sighed in satisfaction. He thought about his first two days of work. He'd had no trouble following Adelle's instructions on the tasks she gave him to do. Of course, he did receive disapproving stares from some people, especially teens. He believed they had figured out his situation. He paid them no mind, though.

His thoughts drifted to Ashley's appointment. He was excited yet nervous about seeing their baby on the ultrasound. He hoped they wouldn't encounter any judgmental people while they waited for Kai. On top of that, he was glad to know that Carlos, Zhane, and Justin's families supported him and Ashley as they revealed to them on Wednesday just before school started. He was startled when he heard chuckling and saw Adelle walking toward him. She stopped before him.

"Very nice work, Andros," she complimented.

"Thanks, Adelle," he responded with a small smile.

"I've never seen anyone clean a table as fast as you do," Adelle said, crossing her arms.

"Well, I was quick on my feet when I was a Power Ranger. You can't exactly blame me for being fast here," Andros explained.

"Don't do too much too fast because you'll burn out," Adelle warned seriously. "I've done that a number of times. It made me very tired." She made a funny noise.

"Duly noted," Andros answered with a nod. "By the way, I'm not tired at all." He winked at her.

"That's good," Adelle said happily. "Of course, I'm sure you will be tired after you take Ashley to the hospital this afternoon."

"I'm sure I will too. At least I can take comfort in the fact that I was able to get in four hours of work," Andros pointed out warmly.

"It's all thanks to your school's teen parent program. In the old days, there were no school programs, support groups, or any other resources to help teen parents. Unwed teen parents were often coerced into signing over their parental rights, even if they said they would marry. It still happens occasionally," Adelle muttered in disgust.

"Talk about awful," Andros said in some fear.

"Oh, yeah. Your generation is lucky," Adelle commented and uncrossed her arms. "You have resources to help you." She sighed heavily. "No matter how hard the world tries, there is no way the teen pregnancy rate will ever be reduced to zero. All that can be done is to educate teens on sex."

"Of course," Andros agreed. He looked down at the rag in his hand. He turned back to her. "I should get this to the kitchen."

"I'll take it there," Adelle answered and took it from him. "I'll take the paper towel too."

"Okay," Andros said and handed the paper towel to her. "Thanks."

"No problem. Just keep an eye out for people coming in," Adelle said as she headed to the kitchen.

Andros looked toward the entrance to see Bulk and Skull walking in. He pulled his notepad and pen from his pocket as they made their way toward a table close to the bar. He approached them as they sat down. Bulk and Skull looked at him.

"Well, well, if it isn't our favorite Red Ranger," Bulk greeted.

"Hey, Bulk, Skull. What are you two doing here?" Andros asked in curiosity.

"It was our day off. We thought we'd come here for a while," Bulk said with a smile. "We didn't expect to see you here."

"Let me guess. You and Ashley are expecting a baby and signed up for your school's teen parent program. You decided to get a part-time job, so you could save money for it. Because you're working this morning, you're taking her to a doctor's appointment this afternoon," Skull said.

Andros was surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Skull and I saw our fair share of teen dads working part-time with Ernie at the Youth Center when we were in high school. Sometimes, they worked in the mornings because they took the teen moms to doctor's appointments in the afternoons. We made fun of them a lot," Bulk explained.

"We'd say, 'Ha, ha, ha. You have to work while we get to have fun.' We also made fun of the teen moms when they waddled around due to their big bellies," Skull added regretfully.

"Karma often bit us in our butts when we slipped on spilt drinks, tripped over people's feet, etc.," Bulk said.

Skull nodded. "We deserved every bit of it."

"Don't worry. We're not going to make fun of you at all," Bulk assured.

"In fact, you have our support," Skull commented with pride. "If you ever need babysitters, give us a call. We're more than willing to help you."

Bulk formed a big smile on his face. "We love kids."

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind. I'm sure Ashley wouldn't have a problem with it. So, what do you two want to have?" Andros wondered.

"All I want is a diet coke," Skull answered.

"Me too. We just ate at Burger King a little over an hour ago. I had an egg-and-cheese biscuit while Skull had two sausage biscuits," Bulk added.

"Okay," Andros said, writing down the orders. He put his notepad and pen back into his pocket. "I'll get your drinks for you."

Bulk and Skull turned to each other with small chuckles as Andros walked away. They had decided to become sea lion trainers at the Angel Grove Aquarium not long after the final battle. They began working there in November 1998 by doing tasks such as preparing food for the animals, helping to feed them, and cleaning their enclosures. Senior sea lion trainer Mark Goodson mentored them. The duo arrived at the sea lions four months later. They moved in together not long after.

Bulk and Skull heard yelling and turned to see two young women arguing at the pool table. They looked at each other, shaking their heads. They remembered how they would argue over a game they played when they were younger. They felt embarrassed by that. Footsteps caught their attention, and they spotted Andros and Adelle coming their way with their diet cokes.

"Wow. That was fast," Bulk said as the duo stopped before the table and set the cokes down.

"By the way, it's nice to see you, Adelle," Skull added warmly.

"You too, Skull. It's not every day the aquarium's most popular sea lion trainers come to the Surf Spot to chill," Adelle said in happiness.

"Hey, it's a very cool place," Skull commented honestly. "There is so much to do here." He picked up his coke to sip it. He laid it down, sighing in much content.

"It also happens to be the place where Andros found out what a surfboard was in a wacky way," Bulk said, winking at the young man.

Andros chuckled quietly and clapped twice. "Well, that wasn't my brightest moment. Then again, what can you expect from someone who had never seen an ocean?"

"Look on the bright side. You didn't lose your hair," Skull joked with a snicker.

"Unh-huh," Bulk said in Elvis's voice. Skull started laughing very hard, causing him to feel guilty. "I'm sorry, Skull. I didn't mean to make you laugh so hard with my Elvis voice."

"It's okay, Bulkie. I love hearing it so much that I can't help myself sometimes," Skull admitted.

Bulk smiled lightly. "Thanks."

Adelle and Andros looked at each other with shrugs. They looked toward the entrance to see a young woman walk in. They saw her go the table in front of the bar and sit down. Andros was about to go over to her when Adelle touched his shoulder. He looked at her.

"Talk with Bulk and Skull for a few minutes. I'll take care of her," Adelle said, putting her hand at her side.

"Thanks," Andros said. He watched her go over to the woman and pull out her notepad and pen. He turned to Bulk and Skull.

"So, when did you start working here?" Bulk asked, picking up his coke and taking a long sip. He put it back down.

"Wednesday afternoon. Adelle gave me the job right away when I told her about my and Ashley's situation and was willing to start the next day," Andros explained.

Skull propped his head up with his elbow. "It must've been a shock for you to learn that Ashley was pregnant."

Andros sighed. "You have no idea. I never thought it'd happen to me. I mean, I'm the guy who saved the universe."

"Hey, we're only human, Andros," Bulk said comfortingly. "We all make mistakes. What we do is learn from them."

"Unfortunately, some people never do," Skull mumbled dejectedly.

"Angel Grove High has a number of students who never learn from their mistakes. Among them are Johnny, Brian, Bianca, and Tara," Andros muttered, looking disgusted.

"Does the rest of the school…know about the baby?" Bulk asked, showing some nervousness.

"Unfortunately, yes. It's all thanks to Tara. Johnny wants nothing to do with Ashley now. He called her sloppy seconds," Andros answered, a hint of anger living his voice.

Bulk scoffed. "How dare he say that about a beautiful mom-to-be. If I were there, I would've yelled in his face over that. Then again, that's probably what he'd want me to do."

"Guys like Johnny have only one thing on their minds. It's bedding pretty girls like Ashley and leaving them in the dust," Skull said bluntly. "I pursued Kim, but I never intended to get her into bed with me. I just wanted to go on one date with her. It never happened, but I did get to dance with her once. That satisfied me enough."

"Yesterday, Ms. Applebee caught Johnny trying to pass a note to Ashley. She made him give it to her. She read, 'You will become so ugly after you have your brat that no guy will ever date you after alien boy dumps you.' She became angry and sent him to detention," Andros said with an angry hiss.

"It's good to know that you have a teacher on your side," Skull said in relief.

"A number of other teachers are on our side too. Among them are Mr. Wilton, Mr. Wyatt, and Mr. Williams," Andros pointed out.

"Cool," Bulk said.

Andros tried to suppress a chuckle, but he couldn't. He ran his hands over his hair twice. He tapped his foot three times while putting them behind his back.

"When we were attending Mr. Richards's physical science class in our freshman year, he badmouthed teen parents named Donald Trykes and Nina Martinez. They were both fifteen years old," Bulk commented. "We made fun of them like we had done other teen parents. Their baby daughter was born March 15, 1994. They named her Maria and proved to everyone they could take care of her. They had help from their parents. His were named Louis and Jackie. Hers were named Terry and Mildred. Mildred and Jackie were stay-at-home moms while their husbands worked at the Hopkins Computer Company. They took turns caring for Maria while their children attended school."

Skull showed much sadness. "Unfortunately, Donald died in a drunk driving crash while on his way home from spending time with a friend fifteen months after Maria's birth. Nina was devastated by it, but she was determined to raise their daughter as she knew that was what he would've wanted. She graduated in the top twenty of our class. She works full-time as a cashier at Costco and lives next door to us now. Maria is a happy five-year-old who is at the top of her kindergarten class at Angel Grove Elementary."

"Wow. That's amazing," Andros exclaimed.

"Yes, it is," Bulk agreed. "The guy who killed Donald was convicted of vehicular homicide and was sentenced to thirteen years in prison. He had his license taken away from him permanently."

"Nina gave an impact statement on how Donald's death had affected her. It played a huge part in the sentencing," Skull added.

Bulk picked up his coke, taking a long sip. He laid it back down. "He deserved it big time. He left a beautiful little girl without her father. No child should have to grow up without either parent. We don't know if Nina will ever date again. She is very focused on raising her daughter right now."

Andros let out a small sigh. He didn't think he'd hear a story about teen parents who were only fifteen when they learned they were expecting a baby. Moreover, he wasn't expecting to hear it from Bulk and Skull. He was glad that Nina and Maria were doing well.

"You know, Andros. You're a real man to take responsibility for your child," Skull said proudly.

"There aren't too many men like you these days," Bulk commented.

"Thanks, guys. I can't wait to see the baby on the ultrasound. I do hope it's doing okay," Andros said a little nervously.

"I hope you'll get lots of pictures. That way, you can always look to them for comfort and guidance whenever you feel down," Skull responded, winking at him twice.

"Ashley and I do plan to ask her obstetrician to take ultrasound pictures of the baby. His name is Kai Chen. He is experienced with teen pregnancy," Andros said.

"It's nice to know that you found an obstetrician who has experience with teen pregnancy," Bulk said, warmth showing in his voice.

"Yeah. We got lucky," Andros said, smiling lightly. He looked toward the entrance to see a middle-aged man walk in. He saw him go to a table below the one in front of the bar. He turned back to his friends. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have a customer to take care of."

"That's okay," Skull said, waving him off. "It was nice talking to you."

"It was nice talking to you too," Andros said, winking at his friends.

"Good luck with the ultrasound," Bulk added.

"Thanks," Andros said, letting out a small laugh. He made his way over to the man. He grabbed his notepad and pen. He listened to the man give his order and proceeded to write it down.


	36. Pick Up, The Hospital, and Ultrasound

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has a bit of Andros/Ashley. Two Lost Galaxy characters make their appearance in this fic. A new pairing has been added to the pairing list. The name of the woman Bulk and Skull bullied when she was a teen mother has been changed to Nina because I already have a bottlenose dolphin named Riley. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-seven.

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Chapter 36: Pick Up/The Hospital/Ultrasound

Ashley was watching a recorded episode of _Press Your Luck_ while sitting on the Hammond residence's living room couch in the early afternoon. A contestant groaned in frustration when she landed on a Whammy. The Boy George Whammy danced across the screen and sang 'Who would ever hurt a Whammy? Who would ever—Ow!' when a hammer hit him on the head and crushed him into a pile of goo. The Whammy card popped up with a boing.

She couldn't stop herself from chuckling. She loved all the wacky things that happened to the Whammies after they humiliated the contestants. She considered the Whammy getting water thrown on him while running across the screen carrying the Olympic torch to be her favorite. She thought it was good no Whammy was used twice in the same episode.

Her thoughts drifted to her appointment. She was excited yet nervous about seeing her and Andros's baby on the ultrasound. She had a feeling she would be monitored more closely since she was eighteen, but she didn't mind that. After all, it was better to be safe than sorry as Ashton and Anna had told her countless times when she was a little girl.

She heard honking and stood up to walk to the window. She saw Andros's car, which was somewhat faded and had a tiny scratch in the driver's door, in the driveway. She went to the coffee table and picked up the remote to turn off the TV and VCR. She put it back in its spot before grabbing her purse off the floor. She headed to the door. She opened it, locking it before going outside. She closed it behind her. She went to the car's passenger side and got in.

"Hey, Ash," he greeted with a happy smile. He watched her lay her purse on the floor.

"Hey yourself, Andros," she answered and leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek. She settled into her seat and buckled up. "You ready to get this show on the road?" She straightened the shoulder belt.

"Absolutely," Andros said honestly. He pulled out of the driveway and went down the street. "I feel so fortunate to be taking you to this appointment."

"I'm glad you are. By the way, I read the baby's heartbeat can be seen on the ultrasound as early as six weeks," Ashley said, touching her stomach.

He chuckled lightly. "It's amazing how a human baby grows from a single-celled zygote to eight pounds in nine months." He licked his lips.

She shook her head. "That gestation is nothing compared to the elephant. It carries its calf for twenty-two months. If humans carried their babies for that long, we'd have a bunch of giants running around."

"Fee-fi-fo-fum. I smell the blood of an English man!" Andros said in an evil-sounding voice. He looked in his rearview mirror to see a car coming up on his bumper. The driver honked her horn twice. "You've got another thing coming if you think I am going over the twenty-five-mile-per-hour speed limit on this road."

"Talk about being in a hurry," Ashley said as she looked out the back window at the car.

"I don't care if she is. I'm not going any faster," Andros declared and stopped at the intersection. He flipped his blinker up. The right blinker began to flash. He looked both ways. He winced in irritation when the driver honked her horn. He glared at her in the rearview mirror. "I'm only looking both ways, bitch!" He hissed in anger. "Damn. Have a little patience."

"If I could, I'd get out of this car and give her a piece of my mind," Ashley commented, looking ahead.

"I'd go with you to do that," Andros mumbled.

Ashley smiled. "Thanks."

Andros turned right. The blinker ceased its flashing. The driver drove ahead quickly. She shot him a dirty look. He glanced at the rearview mirror, growling softly.

"Good riddance, bitch," Andros shouted in determination. "Let's hope we don't hear anyone whining and complaining about how long it is taking their doctor to see them."

"Yeah," Ashley replied and rubbed her stomach very lightly. "If the world was designed to go fast, it would. Unfortunately, it isn't. We have to take things at a slow yet steady pace."

"You got that right," Andros agreed. He moved his hands to the sides of the steering wheel. He slowed down his speed a little bit. "So, when you do want to get maternity clothes?"

"Soon. I'd like to get several pairs of overalls, blue jeans, and some dresses. I do want to be prepared for when I start showing," Ashley commented truthfully. "Then again, there is a chance I won't show enough to have to wear them. No two women have the same pregnancy."

"I consider it ridiculous that a woman has to have a huge belly in order to be confirmed pregnant. Even worse is some pregnant women use the excuse they are eating for two to pig out on junk food," Andros grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"So true," Ashley agreed. "One thing is clear. You won't see me pig out on that stuff."

"That's my girl," Andros said proudly. He increased his speed somewhat as a teen girl rollerbladed down the sidewalk.

00000

Andros pulled into the Angel Grove Memorial Hospital's parking lot twenty-five minutes later. He parked in a space near the entrance and switched off the engine. Ashley grabbed her purse and set it in her lap. They looked up at the top of the hospital as they unbuckled their seatbelts.

"I never noticed how big this hospital is," he commented.

"Me neither," she agreed. "The rooftop is the perfect perch for falcons."

"I know. You don't want to be a bird flying around when a falcon dive-bombs you and kills you with its talons," Andros said, imitating a falcon's dive by raising his hand high and moving it downward.

"Everyone knows falcons can fly up to two hundred miles per hour," Ashley exclaimed.

"That's nowhere near as fast as the Megaship's hyperspeed," Andros said with a smirk.

"It may not be, but it's really fast on Earth," Ashley commented, winking at him. "Come on. Let's get this appointment over with." She moved her eyebrows up and down.

"You got it, dude," Andros replied. "Just don't get a really weird craving while we're here." He stifled a snicker.

"You know I can't help that. Of course, the hospital cafeteria does have good food," Ashley pointed out.

"Thank God for that," Andros whispered in relief. "Come on."

Andros and Ashley exited the car. They went over to each other and held hands. They made their way to the entrance. They entered the mostly empty waiting room. They were relieved to see that. They let go of each other as they approached the receptionist, who looked up.

"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"My name is Ashley Hammond. I'm here to see Kai Chen for an ultrasound appointment. It's at three-thirty," Ashley answered.

"You look a bit young to be having a baby, young lady," the receptionist snapped and glared at Andros. "That must be your boyfriend. I bet he's not even the father."

"Watch your mouth, lady. I _am_ the father of her child. I brought her here to see Kai. If you want to know my name, it's Andros Parker," Andros growled angrily, pointing his finger at her.

"Okay," the receptionist said and grabbed a piece of paper from next to her as the young man lowered his arm. She looked at Ashley. "What is your age?"

"Eighteen," Ashley responded. She watched the receptionist write her answer down and pressed her lips together.

"What was the date of your last period?" the receptionist commented seriously.

"October 5," Ashley said, swallowing hard. She reached into her purse to pull out her wallet. She opened it and grabbed a rectangular-shaped white plastic card saying 'Parkson Health Insurance.' She handed it to her. "This is the health insurance company my parents' health care plan is under. It says co-pay isn't required."

"All right," the receptionist said, as she looked it over. She wrote down the information before handing it back to the young woman. She watched her put it back in her wallet, which went back into the purse. She opened a drawer under her and got four forms. She grabbed a clipboard from beside her to put them on it. She got a pen and gave both to her. "You need to fill these out."

"Thank you," Ashley whispered with a quiet huff. "I will return these as soon as I can."

Andros and Ashley went over to chairs located next to the door leading into the hallway. They seated themselves. She laid her purse on the floor. She crossed her left leg over her right. She laid the clipboard in her lap and started filling out the first page. He looked toward the receptionist.

"That was a really rude woman," Andros growled in irritation.

"It's more than likely we won't have to deal with her every time I have to see Kai," Ashley said in relief. "I bet she doesn't have a boyfriend." She smirked.

He laughed. "I think you're right."

"I have a feeling Veronica will marry and divorce several times," Ashley said honestly. "That is if any man wants her."

"You know what they say, 'Love is blind,'" Andros said, gazing at his girlfriend.

"Yep, yep, yep," Ashley responded with a giggle. She finished filling out her address and began on the purpose of her visit.

"Sure thing, Ducky," Andros responded, playing with a piece of her hair.

She squeaked in delight as she stopped writing to look at him. "Just don't pull my hair out."

"I won't," Andros whispered lovingly and kissed her forehead. He pulled back to look at her. "I'm glad to be here with you."

"I'm glad you're here with me," Ashley answered, sighing in content. Suddenly, a thought hit her. "Andros, what about our Christmas getaway to my aunt's cabin?"

Andros gasped in shock. "Oh, shit. I never thought about that. I have to talk to Adelle about it. I'm supposed to return to work two days after Christmas." He laughed nervously.

"I hope she'll be okay with you missing three more days. I mean, you're asking for time off quite soon," Ashley said in seriousness.

"Yeah. It'd likely make some of my fellow employees who just started unhappy. Then again, I don't give a damn," Andros declared.

"Me neither. I think we deserve to get away from the bullies," Ashley said with a sharp exhale.

"Me too," Andros agreed and leaned toward her ear. "I'm looking forward to you seducing me with your nightie again. You're such a sexy little thing in that."

Ashley squeaked. "Thank you."

Andros pulled back and kissed Ashley on the lips. He rubbed noses with her before planting a kiss on the tip of hers. He pulled back, and she focused her attention on the form. She resumed filling it out.

00000

Ashley finished filling out the last form twenty minutes later. She placed the other three over it before standing up. She made her way over to the receptionist and gave her the clipboard back. The receptionist placed it on her desk and looked over the forms. She shifted her attention to Ashley, exhaling sharply.

"I will let Dr. Chen know you're here. It could be some time before he sees you," the receptionist said rudely.

"Thank you," Ashley said through clenched teeth. "You don't have to be rude, you know."

"Then you shouldn't have gotten yourself knocked up," the receptionist sneered. "You might as well relish the time you have with your boyfriend. He'll leave you once he tires of you and your little brat. In fact, why don't you just drop out of school? You'll be a hamburger flipper at McDonald's for the rest of your life." She acted as if she were spitting at the floor.

"I'll never leave school unless my pregnancy becomes high-risk. Even then, my parents will hire a private tutor to homeschool me," Ashley retorted defiantly. "By the way, why don't you pop that pimple on your forehead? It looks rather big."

Ashley walked away as the receptionist hissed angrily and rubbed the pimple on her forehead. She passed a thirty-five-year-old man going toward the receptionist. As an African-American, he was slightly taller than Andros was and was rather lean. He had no hair on his head whatsoever. His skin was dark, and his eyes were brown. He walked up to the window, and the receptionist greeted him warmly. They broke into quiet chatter. Ashley returned to her seat. She sat down with a light grunt. She looked at Andros, who was reading the eighth page of a magazine called _Parent and Baby._

"Look at this, Ash," Andros said, showing Ashley a picture of a ten-month-old baby following its toddler sibling around in the middle of the page. "It says that babies may start walking earlier than normal if it has one or more siblings."

"I've heard of that," Ashley whispered. "I didn't start walking until I was sixteen months old." She chuckled. "My parents were worried at my delayed development, though Dr. Kirkson assured them I was fine. After I started walking, I couldn't stay still."

He smiled lightly. "Karone and I started walking when we were ten months old. We couldn't stay still either."

She raised her eyebrows. "Neat."

"Yeah. You could say that both of us had our sippy cups spiked with coffee," Andros joked.

"I've heard coffee can help stop asthma attacks," Ashley said.

"Whoa. That's unreal," Andros exclaimed.

"It's true. It can be very useful if a child doesn't have its inhaler nearby," she explained.

"If our child ends up being diagnosed with asthma, we should get lots of coffee. After all, we probably won't be getting a whole lot of sleep after it's born," he suggested.

"Yeah. Then again, we could get lucky," Ashley pointed out.

Andros nodded in agreement. "Mm-hmm."

Footsteps caught their attention. Andros and Ashley looked up to see the man approaching the chair next to the end table, which had a pile of magazines. The man sat down with a grunt and turned to the couple. Andros and Ashley showed a little nervousness.

"Hey, what are you two in here for?" the man asked curiously.

"We're here to see Kai Chen for an ultrasound. We're expecting a baby," Andros explained.

"Kai is your obstetrician?" the man exclaimed.

Ashley felt her eyes go wide with surprise. "You know Kai?"

The man laughed. "Yeah. His parents are friends with mine. We grew up together. He always dreamed of being an obstetrician. I had my heart set on becoming a mechanic."

"What is your name?" Andros asked and closed his magazine. He put it on the end table.

"My name is Damon Henderson. You two are—" the man started.

"I'm Andros Parker," Andros answered.

"I'm Ashley Hammond," Ashley added.

"It's nice to meet you two," Damon said and saluted the couple.

Andros became very curious. "So, what are you in here for?"

"I'm here for my annual physical," Damon answered, clearing his throat. "I got a clean bill of health last year." He beamed with pride. "I hope I get the same this time."

"We do too," Ashley said and ran her hand over her hair. "We hope our baby is doing okay." She bit her lip. "We're excited yet nervous about seeing it on the ultrasound for the first time."

"Though you two look rather young to be having a baby, I won't judge you," Damon assured. "Besides, people who judge young parents are buttheads in my books." He looked disgusted.

"If there's one thing we can tell you, it's we don't regret our baby," Andros said, taking Ashley's hand into his. He gave it a gentle squeeze. "It was conceived in an act of love."

Ashley sniffled. "There is no way in hell we are giving it up. We're going to prove to everyone we can raise it, despite we are young."

Damon smiled at his new friends. He admired their determination to raise their child. He saw his fair share of teen parents when he attended Angel Grove High School during the late seventies and early eighties. He felt sympathy for them when teachers and students badmouthed them. He still did.

"So, how far along do you think you are?" Damon wondered.

"I believe I'm between six and seven weeks along," Ashley answered truthfully. She touched her stomach with her other hand. "I haven't had many bouts of morning sickness due to snacking on crackers. Unfortunately, I did get sick after eating breakfast this morning."

"She told me about that when I called to check on her during my break from work just after ten o'clock. I've been working part-time at the Surf Spot since Wednesday. Ashley and I got the day off from school due to her appointment. I worked this morning, so I could bring her here," Andros added.

"Wow. It's getting close to Christmas, but you managed to find a job. Good for you," Damon said proudly.

"Mr. Freeman told me that Adelle was looking for people to work with her when Ashley and I signed up for the teen parent program. She gave me the job when I told her about our situation," Andros commented.

"We haven't decided what we will do about college yet. Our priority is to know how our baby is doing," Ashley added.

"I see," Damon said. "I have to say that you are really glowing, Ashley. My mom was just like when she was pregnant with me. She ate crackers to ease her morning sickness. Of course, she couldn't stop it completely."

"I've read stories of severe morning sickness landing moms-to-be in the hospital because of dehydration. Some have even died from it along with their unborn babies. It's called hyperemesis gravidarum. It affects one percent of pregnant women," Ashley muttered in fear.

"I've heard of that," Damon commented. "The exact cause of that condition isn't known, but it's believed to be a combination of factors, which may vary between women and genetics." He pressed his lips together. "Family history seems to play a part. My family has a history of type two diabetes."

"Really?" Ashley asked, her eyes showing much curiosity.

"Yeah," Damon replied truthfully. "I keep a closer eye on myself than most people do because of that. Even if I am in tiptop shape, I can still develop the disease." He placed his hand over his heart.

"Health issues such as diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol, and others don't care how thin or young you are. They can affect anyone of any age and any size. Those who think otherwise are delusional," Andros said firmly.

Damon nodded in agreement and looked away. Footsteps caught Andros and Ashley's attention. They looked up to see a thirty-five-year-old man coming their way with a folder tucked under his arm. Being Asian, he was Andros's height and was lean with some muscle. His black hair was short with spikes on top. His eyes were dark brown, and his skin was tanned. He stopped in the middle of the room.

"Ashley Hammond," the man called.

"That's me," Ashley stood up along with Andros. They approached him. "You are—"

"I'm Kai Chen, your obstetrician," the man answered and held out his hand.

"Oh, hi. It's nice to meet you," Ashley replied and shook it quickly. She looked at Andros, as did Kai. "This is Andros Parker, my boyfriend and the father of my baby."

"It's nice to meet you," Kai said, offering his hand.

"You too," Andros answered, shaking it fast. "I wanted to come, so I could see my baby."

"You're not the only one, Andros," Kai commented, smiling lightly. "I've seen many teen dads accompany teen moms to their appointments during my eight years of working here." He chuckled warmly. "They love the images of their babies on the ultrasound."

Andros jerked his thumb in Damon's direction. "By the way, we chatted with your friend over there."

Kai looked toward Damon and waved to him. "Hey, Damon. How's it going, buddy?"

"Great," Damon answered, waving back. "I'm just here for my annual physical. I had a nice chat with those two before you got here."

"I see," Kai commented, turning back to the couple. "Well, let's get this show on the road like everyone says." He shot a glance at Damon, as did Andros and Ashley. "Nice seeing you, buddy."

"You too. Good luck with the ultrasound," Damon called.

"Thanks. The same goes for you with your physical," Ashley responded sweetly.

"Thanks," Damon said, winking at the lovebirds. He watched them and Kai head for the door leading into the hallway. He hoped the ultrasound would go well.

00000

Andros, Ashley, and Kai stopped at the sixth room on the left three minutes later. Kai opened the door and flipped the switch, flooding the ultrasound room with light. The medium-sized room had a long bed. The ultrasound was next to it. Two chairs were near the door. A counter with drawers and cabinets were next to the second chair.

The obstetrician and the couple walked inside. Kai closed the door behind him. Andros and Ashley stopped in front of the chairs. She laid her purse in the second chair. They turned toward Kai as he went to the bed. Kai motioned for Ashley to come sit on it. Ashley went over to the stool and climbed up. She turned around and sat on the edge. Kai opened the folder and looked over her personal information.

"It says here you're eighteen years old and that Nancy Jenkins confirmed your pregnancy at the Angel Grove Free Clinic," Kai said calmly.

"Yes, she did," Ashley replied while nodding slowly. "She told me you were sympathetic toward teen parents. I'm anxious to find out how far along I am." Her body turned somewhat tense as Andros came to her side. "I've been keeping my morning sickness at bay by eating crackers."

Kai showed sympathy. "Everyone knows morning sickness isn't pleasant. Studies show morning sickness can reduce the risk of miscarriage." He closed the folder.

Ashley scratched her neck. "I've read about that. If I didn't have morning sickness, I wouldn't too be concerned. After all, some mothers didn't have any whatsoever and delivered healthy babies."

"So true," Kai agreed and walked over to the counter to lay the folder on it. He returned to Ashley. "Well, I want to tell you something that I tell all the teen parents I see. It's the main reason for my sympathy for them."

"What?" Andros wondered.

"I was a teen father myself," Kai answered, crossing his arms.

Andros and Ashley gasped in shock. They wondered if they heard wrong. They took a closer look at Kai and realized he was telling the truth. They wanted to hear his story.

"It happened after my freshman year in college. My wife, Brittany, was my high school sweetheart. We were just nineteen years old when our baby was born. We started dating during our sophomore year at Angel Grove High. Our relationship was frowned upon because she was white. Our parents and Damon were among our supporters. Damon and I have been friends since we were in kindergarten. We graduated from high school in May 1982. Brittany and I started attending Angel Grove University that August. Damon went on to work at Hanson's Garage as a mechanic," Kai said, uncrossing his arms.

"What did Brittany want to do?" Ashley wondered.

"She wanted to become a kindergarten teacher, so she went for a teaching degree. I was focusing on getting a medical one. Two months after starting college, we took our relationship to the next level. In January 1983, Brittany started getting sick a lot. We went to the free clinic and got confirmation that she was pregnant. We feared our parents would be angry with us because they've always been strict. Instead, they were supportive. Our mothers were stay-at-home moms. Our fathers were lawyers at Richland Law Firm. Our daughter was born July 9. We decided to name her An-Mei after my grandmother who died when I was only six. We took a year off from college, so we could take care of her. We endured a great deal of ridicule from fellow citizens once it became public knowledge," Kai mumbled, wincing as he remembered when people started ripping into him and Brittany over their situation.

Andros became sympathetic. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Kai whispered, giving him a small smile. "When we returned to college in August 1984, our moms took turns caring for An-Mei. Unlike most college students, Brittany and I attended through the summers, so we could graduate faster. We graduated in May 1987. We decided to get married. We married on June 29. She started teaching kindergarten at Angel Grove Elementary that August. I went through four years of medical school before starting a residency here in June 1991. Nancy supervised me during my residency. Four years later, I got my medical license. I've been practicing medicine ever since. An-Mei is now sixteen and a sophomore at Angel Grove High."

Ashley showed much awe. "Talk about going through a lot."

"Oh, I agree. Had Brittany and I been attending Angel Grove High during her pregnancy, we would've been sent to an alternative school," Kai commented and rubbed his hands together. "Anyway, let's get this ultrasound done. First, I need to take your blood pressure. It's standard procedure for all pregnant women."

Kai removed his stethoscope from his neck and put it in his ears. He went over to a drawer and opened it. He dug through it, taking out a sphygmomanometer. He closed it. He approached Ashley's right arm to put its sleeve around it just above the elbow. He put the stethoscope just below the sleeve and began to pump it up until it was tight.

The sphygmomanometer's tightness on Ashley's arm lessened little by little. The needle went down until it settled on one hundred thirteen over seventy-three. Kai released the air in the sphygmomanometer. He took the stethoscope out of his ears. He put it around his neck and returned the sphygmomanometer to its drawer after taking it off her. He grabbed his pen from his pocket. He opened the folder and jotted down the result.

"Your blood pressure is good," Kai announced and opened the cabinet above him to get a bottle fill with gel. "I have to warn you. The probe will feel a little cold."

"I'm okay with that," Ashley said gently.

Kai turned off the lights after closing the folder. Ashley moved back a bit to lay down. She lifted her red blouse. He returned to her side and squirted the gel on her lower abdomen. He took it back to the cabinet to put it up. He came back and switched on the ultrasound. He pressed the probe against her abdomen, which made her wince somewhat. Andros and Ashley looked over at the ultrasound to see an image of the baby. They appeared to be awed by it.

"The baby looks so tiny," Ashley whispered.

"It sure does," Andros agreed and took her hand into his.

"You can see its head right there," Kai said, making a gesture toward the top of the baby. He motioned to the underside. "You can see the rest of its body here." He moved his finger toward its chest, which showed the flicker of a heartbeat. "It has a very strong heartbeat."

"That's great," Andros said happily.

"Yep," Kai agreed. "The baby appears to be growing normally." He looked at it closely and turned to Ashley. "You're exactly seven weeks along. You'll be due on July 22."

Ashley gasped. "Really?"

Kai nodded at her. "Mm-hmm."

Andros and Ashley looked at each other, their faces beaming with happiness. They couldn't believe their baby was conceived on the night they made love for the first time. They considered this pregnancy extra special. Kai shifted his attention back to the screen. He moved the probe down somewhat. He showed surprise at what he was seeing.

"This is interesting," Kai whispered, a small chuckle coming out of his mouth.

"What?" Ashley asked in confusion as she and Andros looked at the screen. "What's going on?"

"There is a second baby here," Kai said, tapping his finger on the screen. He looked at them with a big smile on his face. "You two are having twins. Congratulations."

Andros and Ashley let out shocked gasps. Not once did they think they would be caring for two babies. They hoped their families and friends would have good reactions to this. They believed the harassment they were enduring at school would get worse once this news was known, but they didn't care. They were just as determined to be good parents to twins as they had been when they believed they would be caring for one baby. Kai looked toward the screen once more.

"There is the second baby's head," Kai said, gesturing toward the top of that baby.

Andros showed much awe, as did Ashley. "Wow."

"Here's the rest of its body," Kai commented, motioning toward the underside. He gestured toward the chest, which showed the flicker of a heartbeat. "It has just as strong a heartbeat as the other baby does. It's also growing normally."

"This is unbelievable," Ashley whispered, choking back a sob as she and her boyfriend looked at each other.

"No kidding. We went from being the parents of one baby to twins in just ten seconds," Andros said and kissed his girlfriend's forehead. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Ashley responded lovingly.

"Don't get all mushy around me, or I'll start crying," Kai quipped, stifling a snicker.

"Oh, get lost, Dr. Chen," Andros retorted playfully. He and Ashley turned back to the obstetrician.

"Please, call me Kai. All my patients do," Kai insisted gently.

"Okay," Ashley said while nodding.

Kai became very serious. "Since you're a teenager carrying twins, I will be monitoring you more closely. You will be at some risk for giving birth prematurely as the pregnancy progresses into the later months."

"I figured," Ashley whispered, sighing heavily. "How often will I have to have ultrasounds?" She looked a little nervous.

"You will have them monthly," Kai replied truthfully. "You don't need to worry paying for this. None of these examinations will cost a cent. I have no doubt your parents' health care plan will be approved."

"Oh, thank God," Andros muttered in relief.

"Despite the risk of premature birth, I am confident you will have a normal pregnancy as long as you take good care of yourself, Ashley. You're already doing that. Of course, we should always prepare for the unexpected," Kai pointed out.

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Mm-hmm. Thank you for everything, Kai." She emitted a loud sniffle. "You don't know how much Andros and I appreciate this."

"You're welcome," Kai said, smiling warmly. "Don't worry about prenatal vitamins. You can get them over-the-counter at the drug store. I don't want your parents to spend money on the prescription type, as they are no better. Now, let's get back to looking at this ultrasound."

Kai gazed at the screen, as did Andros and Ashley. He moved the probe up, bringing up the first baby. He spoke inaudible words as he gestured toward its underside.


	37. Much Chatting and Sticking Up For a Girl

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has Leo/Kendrix and Mike/Maya. I've changed the Angel Grove Teen Parent Supprot Group's monthly meeting to the first Saturday starting at two o'clock in chapter thirty-one. I felt it'd be better to be done during the weekend. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-eight.

XXXXX

Chapter 37: Much Chatting/Sticking Up for a Girl

Biggs Café was somewhat quiet. A middle-aged woman entered while chewing gum somewhat loudly. She passed an employee mopping the floor and took great care not to step on the wet spot. She approached the cash register. She blew a large bubble in her gum, popping it. She used her tongue to get it back into her mouth. A cashier walked up to her, smiling at her.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. What can I get you today?" the cashier asked.

"I'd like coffee with sugar, young sir," the woman answered.

He nodded at her. "Okay."

The cashier headed to the coffeemaker behind him. He got a mug from beside it. He grabbed the kettle and poured coffee into the mug until it was nearly full. He returned the kettle to the coffeemaker and got the sugar to pour it in. He laid it down before grabbing a spoon. He stirred the contents. He tapped the spoon on the mug's side three times. He took it to the sink, placing it there. He went to the mug and picked it up. He returned to the woman, setting it in front of her. He typed in the price.

"That will be one dollar, ma'am," he announced.

"All right," she said and reached into purse to get her wallet. She opened it, pulling out a dollar. She gave that to him, and he typed in the amount and rung it up. She closed her wallet before returning it to her purse.

"You won't be getting any change today," the cashier said, moving his eyebrows up and down. "Thank you. Have a nice day."

"You too," the woman replied as she grabbed her mug. "Thanks for the coffee."

The woman walked away from the cashier. She passed Mike, Maya, and Leo, who were sitting at a table next to the window. She took the one behind Mike and Maya and sat down. She sipped her coffee, nodding in approval and chuckling quietly. She put it down before clearing her throat.

Mike and Maya listened to Leo tell them about how he learned of Ashley's pregnancy. Mike picked up his black coffee and took a long sip of it. He set it down, licking his lips. He folded his arms and laid them on the table. He chuckled once Leo was finished.

"Talk about learning of a teen girl's pregnancy in an unexpected way," Mike said, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'll say. Cassie told me Wednesday she, TJ, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix overheard Tara bragging to students about spreading the news around at lunch the day before," Leo muttered in disgust. "I swear, that girl needs to have a metal plate over her mouth."

"It reminds me of when I heard Mr. Richards badmouth Donald and Nina over being teen parents several times. Bulk and Skull cheered him on every time. I wanted to yell at all three of them so badly, but I didn't because it would've given the teacher grounds to send me to detention," Mike said, sighing heavily.

Maya eyed him. "You're talking about Donald Tykes and Nina Martinez, right?" She touched his arm. "You told me about them once."

"Yes, I am, Maya," Mike answered, turning to her. "I wish they didn't have to suffer from constant harassment due to being teen parents." He let out a sad sigh as they looked at Leo. "They didn't deserve it."

"At least Ernie was kind enough to give Donald a part-time job at the Youth Center. That helped him and Nina not have to rely on their parents for all of their baby's needs. Andros told me Adelle gave him a part-time job working at the Surf Spot, so he could save money for the baby. He was scheduled to work this morning because he couldn't work this afternoon due to taking Ashley to her ultrasound appointment," Leo added.

Mike sighed in relief. "Thank God for the school's teen parent program. It has done wonders for so many teen parents. Of course, I didn't expect two former Rangers to be among them."

"You know what they say, 'Expect the unexpected,'" Leo said honestly.

"Yep, yep, yep," Mike quipped.

"Have you been watching _The Land Before Time_ , Mike?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why, yes," Mike replied with a nod. "So has Maya. She loves hearing me imitate Ducky." He pinched her cheek, speaking baby talk.

"That I do," Maya said, taking hold of his wrist and pulling his hand off. She laid it in his lap. "It's horrible Judith Barsi was murdered by her own father." She showed some anger. "She didn't deserve that all."

"Freddie Jackson and Irene Cara's _Love Survives_ was dedicated to her memory. Her final film role was in _All Dogs Go to Heaven_ as Ann-Marie," Leo said seriously. "I believe she would've been a very successful actress had she and her mother gotten away from her father."

"Me too. Of course, we can't think of the what-ifs. All we can do is look to the future," Mike said.

Leo picked up his cream-filled coffee to take a sip. "That's exactly what Andros and Ashley are doing in regards to their baby." He laid it down. "I do hope the ultrasound went well."

"So do I, bro. By the way, tell Andros and Ashley they have my support," Mike said warmly.

"The same goes for me. Mike and I may never see them, but that doesn't mean we can't support them," Maya added.

"Thanks, guys," Leo said with a smile. "I really appreciate that." Suddenly, an idea clicked in his head. "Hey, why don't you two come to the Surf Spot and help decorate for the Christmas party? You can get to know my friends because they'll be there too."

Mike formed a big smile on his face. "I'd like that."

"So would I. I'd love to get to know your friends," Maya added.

"Great," Leo said in happiness.

Maya picked up her sugar-filled coffee, taking a long sip. She put it down, smacking her lips.

"It's interesting that teen marriage and parenthood are frowned upon on Earth. It's not unusual for teens to marry and have children on Mirinoi," Maya commented.

"Earthlings saw teen marriage and parenthood as acceptable not too long ago in most developed countries. Then they realized married teens missed out on a lot of stuff, including going to college and seeing the world. They started to frown upon it. Unfortunately, people are called selfish for waiting until they are older to get married," Leo grumbled in disgust.

"We live in a damned if you do, damned if you don't universe. It makes my blood boil," Mike growled, anger lining his voice.

Leo let out a heavy sigh. "As it does mine. No matter what anyone does, someone won't be happy." He shrugged. "It's the way life is. We just have to deal with it."

"So true. Earth culture may be strange at times, but I do like this world. There is so much to see and do," Maya whispered in a sweet voice.

"One of the best things about Earth is its great TV shows and movies," Leo said, a big smile crossing his lips.

"No denying that. I could see Xena hacking away at a water slide with her sword thinking it was a giant snake if she were transported to modern times," Mike said, snickering under his breath.

"The police would arrest her thinking she was one of those insane fans of _Xena: Warrior Princess_. She'd try telling them her name, but they wouldn't believe her," Leo yelled, laughing aloud and hitting his hand on his knee.

Maya chuckled in delight. "Now, that would be a sight to see. On top of that, Lucy Lawless is very beautiful. She has a wonderful singing voice."

" _Burial_ is a perfect representation of her voice. I can't get enough of listening to it on the show's first soundtrack," Mike said in a warm voice.

"I'd love to sing that song, but all of us know I don't have a good singing voice," Maya muttered dejectedly.

"No one is good at everything, but everyone is good at something," Mike whispered comfortingly as he put his arm around her. He hugged her, and she settled into his embrace.

"It's unfortunate that _Fraoch a Ronaigh_ didn't make it on the second soundtrack. It is a beautiful Gaelic tune. In English, it means Heather of Rona," Leo commented.

"It can be found on _Mouth Music._ Tabitha Mackenzie sings it. She has a wonderful voice, though it's not of Lucy's caliber," Mike pointed out.

"I'd love to find that album. Perhaps I could find in a garage sale or a music store," Leo said hopefully.

"Hey, you never know what you might find when you look for stuff," Mike said, letting go of Maya. He started talking about the time Bulk ripped his pants when he tried to leap at him after hearing a snide remark from him about his rudeness.

00000

The café was a little more crowded eight minutes later. Mike and Maya laughed at Leo making chittering sounds and sweeping his hands underneath his armpits as if he were a chimpanzee. Leo curled them into fists and acted as if he were beating on the table.

"Yeah. Hit that table, Leo," Maya encouraged.

Mike shook his finger at his brother. "You need to break it in half, bro."

Maya giggled. "It's been really mean to you."

"Okay," Leo said playfully. He hit the table with his fists seven times. He made the sound of it breaking in half. "There. It's broken it in half."

"Great," Mike and Maya yelled.

Mike was about to say something else when a girl yelled out. He, Maya, and Leo turned to see Kendrix peering over her shoulder angrily at Johnny, who stood behind her. She was seated at a table in the middle of the café. She had her hand on her chemistry book.

"You just had to play with my ponytail, didn't you, Johnny?" Kendrix growled.

"Yep," Johnny answered with a smirk.

"Just go away. I don't want to deal with you right now," Kendrix snapped.

"Too bad. You will have to deal with this!" Johnny shouted and pushed her book off the table. He watched her get up and go over to the other end. He rushed over and kicked it under another table that was next to it before she could reach it. "Oops. It seems I got to it first. Ha, ha, ha."

"You're such a jerk, Johnny. It's no wonder Ashley wanted nothing to do with you! Then again, it's good you want nothing to do with her now," Kendrix growled fiercely.

"And I will have nothing to do with her again. That little slut deserves every bit of harassment that comes her way. The same goes for alien boy," Johnny said maliciously.

"His name is Andros," Kendrix retorted defiantly. "That term you use to describe him is derogatory." She flared her nostrils. "Now, if you will excuse me—"

Kendrix started to go toward her book, but Johnny got to the table and reached under it, grabbing it. He closed it and held it above her head. She jumped for it, but she was unable to get it. Leo couldn't take watching anymore. He stood up and stomped over to behind Johnny. He snatched the book out of his hands. Johnny spun around to face him.

"That is no way to treat a lady, Johnny," Leo growled in anger.

"Well, well, if it isn't Leo Corbett," Johnny leered as he narrowed his eyes at the young man. "Don't you know it's rude to interfere?"

Leo poked Johnny in the chest with his finger. "Don't you know it's wrong to treat women like crap? That's exactly what you were doing to Kendrix here."

Johnny pushed Leo's hand aside. "She deserves every bit of crap thrown at her. She's so pathetic. It's no wonder she got nothing from her parents after they died."

"She's not pathetic. She's human and deserves to be treated like one. On the other hand, I see you as a bastard who gets off on hurting others," Leo retorted, putting the book on the table. "Your parents are just as spoiled and selfish as you are."

"You better take that back right now!" Johnny demanded.

"No, because it's true!" Leo yelled defiantly.

"Take it back right now!" Johnny screeched, his hands curling into fists.

Leo shook his head. "No!"

Johnny became enraged and threw a punch. Leo caught the fist in his hand and twisted his arm, which made him cry out in pain. He went behind him, pulling it there. He ducked when the bully swung his other one at his head. He turned him toward the mop bucket. He threw him its way. Johnny landed on his stomach and slid across the floor, yelling loudly.

Johnny hit the bucket's bottom headfirst. The bucket slid across the floor somewhat, some water splashing out of it. Mike, Maya, and Leo broke out in raucous laughter as the bully struggled to his feet while holding his head. Kendrix joined Leo's side. She laughed just as hard they did. Johnny managed to make it to his feet. He looked very humiliated. He glared at Leo and Kendrix.

"You should walk out of this café with that mop bucket on your head," Leo blurted out.

"It'd make the perfect hat!" Kendrix added.

Johnny hissed in anger. "Oh, shut the fuck up!"

Johnny stormed out, mumbling inaudible words. Kendrix looked toward the book. She went to get it and picked it up. She returned to Leo, pressing her lips together.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about Johnny bugging you anymore today," Leo said comfortingly.

"I can see that. Thanks, Leo," Kendrix responded, giving him a sweet smile. "The way you handled him was really cool."

He showed curiosity. "So, do you do your homework here often?"

She nodded at him. "Oh, yes. It's so peaceful here. It's rare for this place to get crowded." She giggled gleefully.

"I agree. By the way, you are so cute when you giggle like that," Leo cooed.

"Oh, don't say that," Kendrix said as she blushed such a deep shade of red that she appeared to be a cherry.

"It's true. You are really cute when you giggle like that," Leo said honestly. He saw the redness fade from her face. "I've been having coffee with my brother, Mike, and his girlfriend, Maya." He jerked his thumb in Mike and Maya's direction. "They are over there."

Kendrix looked toward the couple. Mike and Maya waved at her, big smiles showing on their faces. She turned back to Leo.

"I see," Kendrix said.

"Would you like to come sit with us?" Leo suggested.

"I don't know if I should. I don't want to intrude," Kendrix said in uncertainty.

Leo shook his head. "Oh, you won't be intruding. Besides, it's better than sitting alone."

Kendrix still looked reluctant. "Okay. Just let me get the rest of my stuff."

Leo headed back to his chair and sat down with a light grunt. Kendrix went over to grab her backpack. She made her way to the chair beside him and slipped her backpack over the back of it. She laid her book on the table before seating herself.

"I wish there was a remote that could rewind time. We could watch Johnny slide across the floor as many times as we wanted," Mike said.

"I could try to invent such a remote, but I don't know if it's possible," Kendrix commented with a light chuckle.

Maya was surprised. "You invent stuff?"

Kendrix nodded eagerly. "Yeah. I've done it ever since I was a little girl. I also love fixing things. One time, my uncle's hair dryer broke for an unknown reason. I was able to fix it by taking it apart and tweaking some wires. Then I put it back together." She smiled proudly.

"Neat," Leo said in awe.

"Leo told us he's seen you reading in his second period art class after you finish an assignment. That must be one of your favorite pastimes," Maya said, picking up her coffee to take a sip. She put it down.

"It is. My favorite book is _White Fang._ I love Jack London's words. They have such meaning to them," Kendrix explained, warmth echoing from her voice.

" _White Fang_ is my favorite book too," Leo said, gazing at her.

"Really?" Kendrix said as she turned to him.

Leo nodded at her. "Oh, yes. I can't get enough of reading about White Fang's journey through the hands of humans. It's incredible."

"It sure is. Who would've thought a wolf-dog would grow out of being such a vicious animal?" Kendrix wondered.

"I often saw Leo read that book while listening to music when he was younger," Mike said as Leo and Kendrix shifted their attention to him and Maya. "I occasionally joked he should jumped into it and become the wolf-dog himself."

"You'd make a handsome wolf-dog, bro," Leo said.

"So would you. Of course, I'd be the more handsome wolf-dog," Mike said, smugness showing on his face.

"Hey, don't get smug. It'll bite you on the ass," Leo warned sternly.

"Why don't you get rid of my smugness?" Mike taunted in a playful manner.

"Okay," Leo said determinedly. "I will."

Leo stood up and reached over to smack Mike on the cheek. Mike waved his hand in front of his brother's face. He raised it high, jerking it downward. Leo tweaked his nose, making a honking sound. Maya and Kendrix looked at each other as the boys continued goofing around.

"Do they always do this when you're with them?" Kendrix wondered.

"Yes, they do. I'm used to it, though," Maya answered honestly.

The brothers stopped their antics, and Leo settled back into his chair. They picked up their coffees and drank a little of them. They laid them down, smacking their lips.

"The way you two interact makes me wish I had a sibling," Maya whispered warmly.

"I wish I didn't have a sister," Kendrix mumbled sadly. "All that Erica has ever done is treat me like crap. My parents did the same to me when they were alive. It's well known in Angel Grove High that I'm an orphan." She sniffled while wiping a tear from her eye.

"Leo told us about your situation once. I'm sorry your own parents and sister treated you like that," Maya said sympathetically.

"Thanks," Kendrix replied, rubbing her nose. "I don't care anymore. I have my Uncle Carl. He treats me like a princess, though I'm not anywhere near as spoiled as Erica is."

"That's good," Maya said, happiness showing in her voice.

"There's something you should know about Maya, Kendrix. She isn't from Earth. She's from Mirinoi," Mike said, taking his girlfriend's hand into his.

Kendrix felt her eyes widen to the size of saucers. "No way."

"It's true," Maya answered with much eagerness. "My world was one of many picked to take part in Earth's planet exchange program." She giggled as her boyfriend tightened his grip on her hand somewhat. "I decided to try it as I've always wanted to see what life was like on another world. Elsa Carver took my place. I'm attending college in hers."

"This is so cool," Kendrix said, laughing. "Not once did I think I'd ever meet someone from the planet exchange program."

Leo folded his hands. "The best part is Maya had little trouble adjusting to Earth culture." He winked at Maya.

"One thing I like doing is snatching the remote from Mike and changing the channel when we watch TV in his dorm room," Maya whispered, placing her other hand over Mike's. "He always looks at me with mock-annoyance."

"At least you treat me a lot better than my last girlfriend did," Mike mumbled, his body turning tense. "Penny Reingold and I dated during our sophomore year of high school. Things stared out good with her. Then she tried to control my every move. She didn't want me to spend time with my own brother."

"I liked that girl at first, but I stopped liking her after she became controlling," Leo muttered, scoffing in anger.

"The last straw came when she claimed we slept together following a date to the lake. We made out, but she tried to take it further. I didn't want to because I didn't feel ready. I took her home. I broke up with her when I overheard her telling her friends we had sex," Mike said, hissing to himself.

"Talk about a bitch," Kendrix said, rolling her eyes.

Maya gave a sharp nod. "I agree."

Mike turned to give Maya a kiss to her temple. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her. He gave her a big hug. She settled into his embrace, sighing in content. He looked at Leo and Kendrix.

"TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin told me all about Ashley's scheduled ultrasound at lunchtime on Wednesday. I can't help but wonder how it went," Kendrix said thoughtfully.

"I can see Andros and Ashley expressing excitement at seeing their baby for the first time," Leo commented, chuckling.

"Everyone knows ultrasounds are used to confirm pregnancies and to determine the health of unborn babies," Mike pointed out.

"I remember when you showed me an ultrasound image of a baby on the internet," Maya said, eyeing him. "It looked so interesting."

"It sure did," Mike said with a laugh. He flicked her chin twice. "There is so much stuff to find on the internet, including jokes." He snickered.

"I'd rather find jokes on the internet than read them from joke books. Jokes from joke books suck big time," Kendrix grumbled with a huff.

"Yes, they do," Leo agreed. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing what Andros has to say about the ultrasound on Monday. I do hope the baby is healthy." He smiled.

"Me too," Kendrix said, looking at him. "Perhaps he'll have pictures to show you."

"That'd be nice," Leo said, propping his head up with his elbow. "After all, Andros will be dealing with Ashley's mood swings and weird food cravings over the next seven-and-a-half months."

Mike, Maya, and Kendrix voiced their agreement. They continued to talk about Ashley's pregnancy. Unbeknownst to them, Veronica was sitting at the table behind Leo and Kendrix. She had overheard everything they had been saying. She was determined to listen to more of their conversation.

00000

Mike, Maya, Leo, Kendrix walked out of the café thirteen minutes later. An elderly man entered while smacking his gum. Mike and Maya went left down the sidewalk. Leo and Kendrix headed right. They peered over their shoulders at the couple. Two young men passed them on either side.

"It was nice talking to you, Mike, Maya!" Kendrix called.

"It was nice talking to you too, Kendrix!" Mike responded as he and Maya looked over their shoulder at the duo.

Mike, Maya, Leo, and Kendrix waved to each other. Leo and Kendrix looked ahead. They decided to come to a stop. She dug the heel of her white tennis shoe into the pavement.

"Your brother and his girlfriend are so sweet," Kendrix said, warmth lining her voice. "They make such a cute couple."

"I know. I feel very lucky to have a brother who loves me. I wish everyone could have a sibling who is like that," Leo said with a small sigh.

"At least I don't have to deal with Erica often. Last year, Uncle Carl wouldn't even allow her to join us for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner because he knew she'd treat me badly. She demanded that he invite her to both dinners, but he wouldn't give in," Kendrix said with much pride.

"It's great that your uncle is no pushover when it comes to your sister," Leo commented, pressing his lips together. "My parents aren't pushovers when it comes to Mike and me either."

Kendrix couldn't hold back a chuckle. She and Leo looked up to see a northern mockingbird fly overhead. They listened to its chirps for thirty seconds before turning to each other.

"I was wondering. Would you like me to walk you home?" Leo asked curiously.

Kendrix looked shocked. "Are you serious?"

Leo nodded at her. "Yes. We could talk about stoplights, birds, trees, and who barfed in the cafeteria." He laughed.

"I'd love to," Kendrix commented gratefully. "By the way, thanks for sticking up for me and inviting me to sit with you, Mike, and Maya. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I will defend a woman against anyone who harasses her," Leo answered sweetly. He flicked her chin twice. "You'll amount to something, Kendrix. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Kendrix smiled, which made Leo chuckle. She slipped a lock of hair behind her ear and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. They resumed walking and began talking about what they were going to do for the weekend. She tightened her grip on her book somewhat.

Unbeknownst to the duo, Veronica came out of the café. She stopped next to her blue car, which was BMW and very new. She had managed to hear every word about Ashley's pregnancy from them, Mike, and Maya. She wouldn't pass up the opportunity to spread it around, especially at Angel Grove University.

Veronica smiled deviously and got into her car. She reached into her purse, pulling out her cellphone. She dialed her mother, Joanna's number. She put the it to her ear and listened to it ring three times before a click came. She started telling her about what she learned.


	38. Every Which Way

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I made changes to the ultrasound scene in chapter thirty-six. Instead of hearing the twins' heartbeats on the ultrasound, Andros and Ashley see flickers of them on it as I learned a baby's heartbeat can't be heard until eight weeks into a pregnancy. I changed the scene where Johnny bullies Kendrix to where he holds her chemistry book above her head instead of hitting her in chapter thirty-seven. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-nine.

XXXXX

Chapter 38: Every Which Way

Andros observed two boys down the neighborhood sidewalk on skateboards twenty-five minutes later. Ashley looked over ultrasound pictures of the twins. He reached the intersection. He stopped quickly as she patted them straight and grabbed an envelope from beside her purse. She put them inside before closing it. She laid it in her lap.

He pushed the blinker bar down, and the left blinker began to flash. He looked both ways and turned left. The blinker's flashing came to a stop. Ashley looked out her window to see four boys playing double Dutch in a driveway. Two boys were moving the jump ropes while the other two jumped them. Andros saw them too.

"Talk about four handsome boys," Ashley said in a warm voice.

"You said it," Andros agreed as they looked ahead. "I remember when you and the others introduced double Dutch to me. I had a hard time jumping over the ropes." He chuckled at that memory.

"I gave you a few lessons on that as I used to do double Dutch when I was a little girl," Ashley responded. "You became really good at it." She winked at him.

He licked his lips. "Unfortunately, Zhane and Karone never did. No matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't do it." He moved his hands to the bottom of the steering wheel.

"At least they tried. That's what matters. After all, no one likes a quitter," she pointed out.

"Rest assured that I will never allow our children to quit anything unless they are absolutely sure they have done the best they can and can't go any further," he declared.

She smiled. "Great."

Ashley leaned over to kiss Andros on the cheek. She rubbed the same spot before settling back in her seat. Andros saw the Hammond residence coming into view. He turned right into the driveway. He switched off the engine. He looked at her, and she turned to him.

"I have to say today was the most unbelievable day of my life," Andros said honestly. "We were expecting to see one baby on the ultrasound, but we saw two."

"I know," Ashley whispered, sniffling softly. She looked down at her stomach and placed her hand on it. She rubbed it very lightly. "We have double the joy now." A tear fell down her cheek. "Who would've thought two Power Rangers would become teen parents to twins?"

"I do know one thing. Our families will likely be shocked at this news," Andros commented seriously.

Ashley sighed sadly. "I have to be honest, Andros. It will be virtually impossible for us to care for the twins while we go to college." She choked back a sob.

Andros exhaled sharply as she looked at him. "I agree. As much as I want to go, caring for our children is much more important to me right now. We can go at a later time. There's no rule that says we have to go to college after we graduate from high school."

"Yeah," Ashley said with a nod. "Look at Billy. He's busy traveling the country. He's told everyone he'll attend college once he feels he's ready." She smiled lightly.

"At least air and space travel have been proven to be safe for pregnant women. I would like to visit KO-35 at some point during your pregnancy," Andros said with a small laugh.

"I'd like that too," Ashley replied. "Just don't let everyone go crazy with what I am doing."

"Don't worry," Andros assured gently. "I won't."

Andros reached over and took Ashley's hand into his. He gave it such a light squeeze that it seemed he hadn't.

"So, we'll postpone college for several years. Then we'll attend, so we can chase our dream careers," Andros said.

"We'll have to put the children in daycare because I'll need to find a job after they are born," Ashley pointed out.

"That's true, but daycare can be very beneficial as they'll be able to interact with other kids," Andros said calmly. "I'm going to look for a full-time job after graduation. There is always a chance I will find a job that pays well enough to allow you to stay home." He moved his eyebrows up and down.

"It was sweet of Bulk and Skull to offer to babysit. What they don't realize is they'll be dealing with two children instead of one," Ashley said in some seriousness.

"Yes, but I don't think they'd mind that at all," Andros said, tightening his grip on her hand somewhat. "In fact, they may find babysitting twins to be more fun."

"I never thought of it that way," she whispered, letting out a small yawn. "Man, am I tired." She rubbed her eyes. "I'm going to bed fairly early tonight."

"Me too," he agreed while yawning widely. He smacked his lips. "I do want to tell my family about the twins, though."

"So do I," Ashley said, chuckling as she patted her stomach. "I can take comfort in the fact I'm not suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum. Mom once told me it was a sign a woman was expecting more than one baby." She swallowed hard.

"Are you going to tell Cassie about the twins?" Andros wondered.

"Yes, I am. In fact, she asked me to call her and tell her about the baby after I got home," Ashley explained.

"Well, you better get to it," Andros said, bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss. "I want to tell TJ and Karone, so I can show them the ultrasound pictures. Don't worry. The pictures are in the glove compartment."

"Great," Ashley said as he let go of it. "I'll see you later."

Ashley grabbed her purse and undid her seatbelt. She grabbed the envelope and exited the car. She approached the front door and gazed at Andros. He started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. She watched him go down the street until he was gone. She turned to the door. She reached into her purse to get her keys. She looked through them until she found the right one.

She unlocked the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking quietly. She slipped her keys back into her purse before closing it and locking it. She went upstairs. She went to her room, tossing it and the envelope on her bed. She was about to go to the phone when she heard her stomach growling loudly. She also started to get a craving for crackers and ketchup.

She chuckled to herself. She knew she'd never get used to weird food combos or getting sick, but she would just have to deal with both. At least she could take comfort in the fact that her morning sickness would stop by the third month of her pregnancy. Then again, there was always a chance it could continue throughout it or return at some point.

Ashley decided that calling Cassie could wait. She went downstairs and into the kitchen. She approached the refrigerator to open it. She got out the ketchup before closing it with a slam. She grabbed a knife from the silverware drawer before going to the bar to for a paper plate and the crackers. She got eight out of the box and set them on the plate. She laid the knife aside and opened the ketchup. She started squirting it on the crackers.

00000

Andros pulled into the Johnson residence's driveway within three minutes. He stopped behind Karone's red car, which was Mercedes and new. He turned off the engine and looked toward TJ's brown truck, which was Chevy and somewhat faded. He shifted his attention toward the front door.

He pressed his lips together while grabbing the back of his neck with both hands. He was a little nervous with telling TJ and Karone about him and Ashley having twins. At the same time, he was determined to do it. After all, they had a right to know.

He undid his seatbelt and looked toward the glove compartment. He reached over to open it. He grabbed the envelope containing the ultrasound pictures before slamming it shut. He got out of the car and approached the front door. He grabbed his keys from his pocket. He searched through them before finding the right one.

Andros unlocked the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking somewhat. He walked in and found TJ and Karone engaged in a thumb-wrestling contest while sitting on the couch. He closed it behind him and locked it. They looked at him as he approached the coffee table.

"Hey, Andros," TJ greeted.

"How did the ultrasound go?" Karone asked and pinned his thumb. They looked at each other. "One, two, three. I win! I got you this time!"

"You sure did," TJ said and pulled his hand out of her grasp. "Just don't get smug." He pointed his finger at her. "It will bite you on the ass."

"Sure, it will," Karone commented sarcastically.

"It will," TJ said and laid his hand in his lap. "It will happen when you least expect it."

Karone waved TJ off, getting a laugh from him. They pointed their fingers at each other as if they were guns. They imitated gunshots. Andros scoffed in annoyance. He didn't want to deal with their antics right now. He whistled, which got their attention. TJ and Karone glanced at him.

"You guys wanted to know about the ultrasound. I'm ready to tell you," Andros commented.

"Okay. How did it go?" TJ wondered. He reached over and grabbed his diet coke off the end table. He sipped it before smacking his lips.

"It went very well. Ashley is exactly seven weeks along. She is due July 22," Andros explained.

"That's great. Summertime is the best time to celebrate a birthday. You don't have to worry about it being on a school day," Karone said happily.

"Let's see those ultrasound pictures you promised," TJ requested eagerly and clapped three times.

"Before I do that, there's something else I need to tell you," Andros said, looking very serious.

"What do you mean?" Karone asked in confusion.

"It's a little complicated," Andros muttered, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Come on, Andros. You can tell us," TJ assured.

"Yes, tell us," Karone added, clasping her hands together and laying them in her lap. "We can deal with it."

"Ashley and I are having twins," Andros mumbled, his body turning tense.

"What?" TJ asked as he drank more of his coke.

"Ashley and I are having twins!" Andros shouted.

Without warning, TJ turned and spit coke out of his mouth. He shifted his attention back to Andros. He and Karone stared at him shockingly. They wondered if they heard wrong. They took a closer look at him and realized he was telling the truth. Andros showed some nervousness. TJ put his coke on the coffee table.

"I know you weren't expecting this, but I didn't want to leave this detail out," Andros said honestly. "It shocked Ashley and me just as much as it did you two."

Karone grabbed her hair with both hands. "No shit, Sherlock."

"You said it, Karone," TJ agreed. "Taking care of one baby is hard enough, but taking care of twins is difficult."

Andros sighed heavily. "I know that, TJ. Before either of you say anything about college, Ashley and I have already decided to postpone it for several years." He sniffled. "We want to go so much, but our children are much more important right now."

"It's understandable you want to focus on your children. The good thing about college is you can go at any age," TJ pointed out.

"What about Ashley, bro? Is she going to try to find a job after the babies are born? Will you need to put them in daycare?" Karone wondered, laying her hands in her lap.

"She mentioned that. I can tell you one thing. I am determined to find a full-time job after graduation. However, I need one that pays more than eight bucks an hour. Children cost a lot of money," Andros said.

TJ became thoughtful. "Maybe Adelle could allow you to work full time until you find that job." He raised an eyebrow.

"I have no doubt she'd enjoy having you work for her all day," Karone added, a small smile crossing her lips.

"I agree. She has told me several times that I am doing a great job," Andros said, happiness showing in his voice. "She mentioned that she's never seen anyone clean a table as fast as I did this morning. She even told me not to go too fast because I'll burn out."

TJ and Karone couldn't hold back chuckles. They were glad Adelle was doing a great job looking after Andros. They knew he wouldn't have done so well had he been working for an unpleasant boss. They would always be grateful to Adelle for giving him a job when he needed one the most.

"Just like before, I'm with you all the way, Andros," TJ declared.

Karone sat up tall and proud. "So am I. After all, I'm going to be an aunt to two little babies." She winked at her brother.

"Thanks, guys," Andros said, choking back a sob. "You don't know how much I appreciate your support. If you hadn't—"

"Stop with the chitchat. Let's see the ultrasound pictures of those babies!" TJ shouted with great eagerness.

Andros laughed heartily. "Okay."

Andros headed over to the couch. TJ and Karone scooted over to make room. They watched him sit down. Andros set his keys on the coffee table. He opened the envelope, pulling out the pictures. He handed them to Karone, who showed the first one to TJ.

"Look. Here's the first baby," Karone said, tapping on the top. She gestured toward the baby's underside. "Here's the rest of its body."

"Here's the second baby," TJ said, pointing at the bottom. He motioned toward that baby's underside. "There's the rest of its body." He chuckled. "Gosh. They look so tiny."

"No denying that. They'll be here in a little over seven months," Karone said, her voice showing some excitement. She put the picture behind the others to reveal the second one. She smiled warmly. "This picture shows a clearer image of the babies." She gave it to TJ, who showed much awe.

"You're not kidding, Karone," TJ commented, tapping his fingers on the babies. "They are as clear as daylight in this one."

"The best thing about the twins is both of them are growing normally," Andros said, sighing in relief.

"How wonderful, bro," Karone said, looking toward him along with TJ.

"Why am I getting this feeling there is a but coming on?" TJ wondered.

"Kai is keeping a closer eye on Ashley since she is eighteen and carrying twins. She will be at some risk for premature birth as her pregnancy progresses into the later months. She will have an ultrasound once a month," Andros explained, becoming sad.

"That's unfortunate," TJ whispered sympathetically. "At least Kai cares enough to keep an eye on Ashley throughout her pregnancy."

"The examinations won't cost a cent. Kai has no doubt her parents' health care plan will be approved," Andros added, running his hand over his face. "On top of that, he was once a teen father himself. He and his wife, Brittany, had a daughter, An-Mei, at nineteen."

"That's incredible!" Karone exclaimed.

"That explains why he has so much sympathy for teen parents," TJ said, tapping his foot on the floor twice.

"Yeah," Andros agreed with a nod. "An-Mei is sixteen and attends Angel Grove High." He folded his hands and laid them in his lap. "I hope we get to meet her someday."

"That'd be really neat," TJ said in awe.

"It sure would," Karone said, squealing in delight. "Until them, we'll just marvel over the ultrasound pictures."

TJ gave the picture back to Karone, who put it behind the others. They started talking about the third one.


	39. Always There

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-nine of "Not Here." I am glad it took just a week to get out. Some of the veteran Rangers will be making another appearance in the next few chapters. I decided to have Andros and Ashley have twins instead of just one baby because I wanted to have them experience a more challenging teen pregnancy. It is well known that multiples are at more risk of being born prematurely, especially in teen moms. Stay tuned for chapter forty.

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Chapter 39: Always There

Ashley tossed the paper plate into the trashcan in the Hammond residence's kitchen. She rubbed her stomach lightly. She was glad the crackers with ketchup had satisfied her hunger. She hoped it wouldn't return until dinner. She went into the living room and picked up the cordless phone. She dialed Cassie's number and placed it to her ear. She heard three rings before a click came.

 _"Hello?"_ Cassie said.

"Hey, Cassie," Ashley said cheerfully.

 _"Hey, Ash. How are you?"_ Cassie asked. _"You sound very happy."_

Ashley chuckled. "Oh, yeah. I was going to call you right when I got home, but I got hungry and had to eat something. I craved a weird food combo."

 _"Let me guess. You had crackers and ketchup together,"_ Cassie said with a loud snicker.

"No way! How did you know that?" Ashley blurted out in surprise.

Cassie squealed delightfully. _"Mom had a craving for crackers and ketchup during the second trimester of her pregnancy with me. It grossed Dad out, though he has put ketchup on his eggs a few times."_

"You might as well squirt ketchup in your parents' hair and eat it," Ashley quipped and laughed raucously.

 _"I don't think that would taste good,"_ Cassie muttered in some disgust. _"Besides, ketchup tastes better with fries and white beans."_ She made a slurping sound.

"So, are you ready to know what happened at the ultrasound appointment?" Ashley wondered.

 _"Boy, am I ever,"_ Cassie said eagerly. _"Tell me everything that happened."_

Ashley was about to say something when the doorbell rang. She made her way to the front door and looked through the peephole. She saw Jeff standing before it with a folder in his hand. She turned back to the phone.

"It's Mr. Freeman with my schoolwork," Ashley said.

 _"Oh, I see,"_ Cassie replied.

Ashley nodded. "Yes, could you hold on a second?"

Cassie laughed. _"Sure."_

Ashley removed the phone from her ear and unlocked the door. She opened it and smiled at Jeff, who gave her one of his own.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Freeman," she greeted.

"Good afternoon, Ashley," he responded and handed the folder to her. "Here is your schoolwork."

"Thank you," Ashley said and looked it over. "I appreciate you bringing this to me. I will work on my schoolwork over the weekend."

"That's good. Unfortunately, some expectant and current teen parents aren't as devoted to their schoolwork as you and Andros are. They see their days off as a chance to goof around. They wait until the last minute to do it," Jeff mumbled.

"If they flunk their assignments, that's their loss," Ashley commented bluntly.

"You said it. Anyway, I better get to the Johnson residence, so I can give Andros his schoolwork," Jeff said.

"Okay," Ashley answered with a nod. "Thanks again for stopping by."

"You're welcome," Jeff said and winked at her.

Ashley watched the counselor go to his dark green car, which was a BMW and somewhat faded with a scratch under the handle of the door on the driver's side. Jeff got in it and started the engine. He pulled out of the driveway and drove off. Ashley moved away from the doorway. She closed the door before locking it. She put the phone back on her ear.

"I'm sorry for taking a little longer than I meant to," Ashley apologized guiltily.

 _"It's okay. It's not like I was going to go to the roof and try to fly,"_ Cassie joked.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha. That was so funny that I forgot to laugh," Ashley said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Anyway, let's get this talk about the ultrasound over with."

 _"For sure!"_ Cassie yelled gleefully.

"Well, it went very well. I learned I am exactly seven weeks along. I'm due July 22. Andros and I conceived our first time making love," Ashley said, a big smile breaking out on her face.

 _"Wow. That makes the pregnancy extra special. On top of that, you won't have to worry about giving birth before graduation,"_ Cassie commented in awe. _"Of course, it does mean you will likely have a big belly when it comes."_

"Yeah. I don't care if my belly is sticking out," Ashley said and held her hand out in front of her stomach. "I'm walking up to get my diploma." She placed her arm at her side. "No one is going to stop me."

 _"That's great,"_ Cassie said proudly.

Ashley laughed heartily. She walked to the couch and sat down with a light grunt. She set the folder on the coffee table.

 _"So, when is your next appointment?"_ Cassie asked.

"Before I get into that, there's something else I need to tell you," Ashley answered somewhat nervously.

Cassie cleared her throat. _"What is it? What's wrong?"_

"Nothing's wrong. This news was a bit unexpected for Andros and me, but—" Ashley whispered, unsure if she could continue.

 _"What? Tell me,"_ Cassie demanded impatiently.

"Andros and I are having twins," Ashley mumbled.

 _"What?"_ Cassie yelled.

Ashley sighed. "Andros and I are having twins!"

Ashley winced painfully when she heard Cassie let out a shocked gasp. She took the phone off her ear to lay it against her chest. She wasn't sure if she could continue to talk to her. She shook that thought of her head. She knew she needed to and returned the phone to her ear.

"I'm sorry this shocked you, but I wanted you to know," Ashley apologized with much guilt.

 _"I can't believe you and Andros are having twins. This could result in even more harassment from students and teachers,"_ Cassie said seriously.

"I know, but I don't give a shit about that," Ashley growled with much determination and ferocity. "Andros and I are raising our children. We decided to put college on hold for several years. He's planning to get a full-time job after graduation. I will work on finding one after I recover from giving birth. It's likely we'll have to put the twins in daycare, but that can benefit them because they will interact with other kids."

Cassie chuckled lightly. _"That's good. I'm with you all the way like before. If anyone harasses you and Andros about the twins, I'll put them in their place. No one messes with my friends and gets away with it."_

Ashley sighed in relief. "Thank you so much. I owe everything to you, Cass. You helped me to get my pregnancy confirmed, so I could let Andros know. Then we were able to let our families and friends know."

 _"I'll do anything for you, girl. You know that,"_ Cassie commented warmly. _"Anyway, have you and Andros discussed baby names yet?"_

"Not yet. By the way, the babies are growing normally," Ashley said.

 _"That's great. Of course, you're probably going to be monitored more closely due to your age,"_ Cassie replied.

"Oh, yes. My next ultrasound is January 13. I will have one every month throughout the pregnancy. I got ultrasound pictures of the twins," Ashley explained softly.

 _"Cool. Could you send them to me by email?"_ Cassie asked.

"Sure. I can scan them to the computer and email them to you. I'll do that later. Andros and I want to tell the parents about the twins first," Ashley commented honestly.

 _"That's fine with me. I have a full weekend to look at them,"_ Cassie said with a giggle.

Ashley smiled. "Great. I better go. I'm expecting Andros to call soon, so he can tell me about how TJ and Karone reacted to the news."

 _"Okay. I can't wait to see the ultrasound pictures,"_ Cassie said, breathing deeply. _"I am telling my parents about this."_

"Go ahead. I don't mind. Bye," Ashley whispered, sighing in content.

Cassie chuckled. _"Bye."_

Ashley turned off the phone and placed it on its base. She looked as if she were about to cry. She was so happy to know that Cassie was still with her all the way. She prayed silently that everything had gone well for TJ and Karone.

00000

In the Johnson residence's kitchen, Andros picked up the phone and began to dial the Hammond residence's phone number. Karone made her way to the refrigerator and opened it. She looked toward Andros, who peered over his shoulder at her.

"Andros, do you want a coke?" she asked.

"No, thanks. I'm not thirsty," he answered swiftly.

"Okay," Karone said and turned back to the refrigerator. She grabbed a diet coke before closing it. "I just thought I'd offer to get you one."

"That's fine," Andros said as he finished dialing. He placed the phone to his ear. He looked away as he heard a ring. "How about you shake it and open it, so you can spew coke all over yourself?"

"You're dreaming if you think I'm going to mess up my blue blouse," Karone retorted as she opened the coke and headed into the living room.

Andros mouthed his sister's words mockingly. He listened to the second ring, followed by a click in the middle of the third one.

 _"Hello?"_ Ashley said.

"Hey, Ash," Andros replied with a small laugh. "How are you?"

 _"I'm doing fine. I'm just waiting for my parents to get home,"_ Ashley answered.

"So are TJ, Karone, and me with his parents," he said, running his hand over his hair. "I hope they don't get caught in heavy traffic. Everyone knows it gets bad at afternoon rush hour."

 _"No shit,"_ she agreed. _"So, how did TJ and Karone take the news?"_

He ran his hand over his face before putting it on his side. "They were shocked, but they told me they were still with me all the way once they recovered."

She chuckled. _"Cassie was shocked when I told her about it. Once she recovered, she told me she was still with me all the way."_

"That's wonderful. I was wondering. Do you think we could tell the parents about the twins together like we did when we thought we were expecting one baby?" Andros asked curiously.

 _"I think that's a good idea. How about your house this time?"_ Ashley suggested.

"That's fine with me. How about seven-thirty just like before?" Andros wondered.

 _"That's perfect,"_ Ashley answered happily. _"I just hope I don't throw up what I eat for dinner before or while my parents and I are at your house."_ She winced.

Andros showed sympathy. "Me neither. Then again, you can't always control that, even with snacking on crackers."

 _"Kai recommended I get prenatal vitamins at Kroger,"_ Ashley pointed out. _"Those things can be nasty-tasting."_

"Yes, but you need them. Since you are carrying twins, you will need to consume more than most mothers do," Andros said seriously.

 _"At least they're not expensive,"_ Ashley said in relief.

"Yep," Andros agreed. "Besides, prescription prenatal vitamins can be expensive, even with health insurance covering the majority of it."

Ashley groaned. _"I know. Kai said prescription prenatal vitamins were no better than the over-the-counter stuff was."_ She exhaled sharply. _"He didn't want my parents to have to spend any money on that."_

"Do you—" Andros started. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, causing him to look toward the living room. "Someone's at the door."

 _"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mr. Freeman was on his way to your house to give you your schoolwork after he stopped here to give me mine,"_ Ashley whispered, laughing nervously.

"That means he could be here, or an idiot rang the doorbell and ran off," Andros said, rolling his eyes.

 _"Most likely,"_ Ashley agreed.

"Could you hold on a second, Ash? If Mr. Freeman's there, I'd like to talk to him," Andros said, putting his hand on the mouthpiece.

 _"Sure,"_ Ashley responded.

Andros removed the phone from his ear and laid it on the table. He went toward the front door. TJ was already there unlocking it. He opened it, revealing Jeff with a folder in his hand. Andros came to his friend's side. Karone watched them from the couch.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Freeman," TJ greeted.

"Good afternoon, TJ. I've come by to give Andros this," Jeff said and handed the folder to Andros.

"Thanks for running this by," Andros answered as he looked it over. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I wish I could stay a little longer, but I want to get home and start dinner. I'm starving," Jeff said, rubbing his stomach.

"Who wouldn't be starving after a long day of working at a high school?" Andros commented, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah. I'll see you later," Jeff said, rubbing his hands together. "Have a great weekend."

Andros and TJ watched the counselor go to his car and get in. Jeff started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. The boys stared after him until he was gone. They moved away from the doorway. TJ closed the door and locked it. He headed for the couch, seating himself beside Karone. Andros returned to the kitchen and picked up the phone to put it to his ear. He set the folder on the same spot it had been on the table.

"I'm back," Andros said in a singsong voice.

 _"You took a long time to get back. Did you drag your feet along the way to the phone?"_ Ashley joked.

"You could say that," Andros retorted playfully. "Anyway, do you have any ideas for baby names? I know we just had the first ultrasound, but I'm curious." He snorted.

 _"No, I don't have any ideas for baby names yet. Do you?"_ Ashley asked.

He sighed sadly. "Nope. Sometimes, names don't come to mind until after babies are born."

She huffed. _"I know. It's a drag, but who knows? Maybe one or both of us will think of names for the twins soon."_

"Yeah," Andros agreed. "Are you planning to email Cassie the ultrasound pictures of the twins?"

 _"I will do it later on tonight. I would like to call and tell the others about the twins after we tell the parents, so they can get the pictures too,"_ Ashley explained.

"I see. Well, I'm going to get started on my schoolwork," he said quietly.

 _"So will I. I'll see you tonight. I love you,"_ she replied and made a kissing sound.

Andros smiled. "I love you too. See you then."

Andros hung up the phone and grabbed the folder. He walked into the living room, stopping when he heard TJ and Karone chuckle. He looked at them with an eyebrow raised.

"So, we are going to have another meeting of the families. It will be here this time," Karone said, cupping her chin in her hand.

"Yep," Andros said truthfully. "I feel it's only fair since we gathered at Ashley's house last time."

Karone held up her hands. "That's fine with me, bro."

"Don't worry," TJ assured and let out a small yawn. "Our lips are sealed like they were last time." He and Karone pretended to lock their lips and throw away the keys. "You can count on it."

"They better be," Andros said, pointing his finger at the duo. "I'll be upstairs for a while."

"Hey, we won't bother you," TJ said, smiling.

Andros nodded. "Thanks."

TJ and Karone observed Andros going upstairs. They looked toward the TV once he was gone. She picked the remote up off the coffee table and turned it on. _The Land Before Time III: Time of the Great Giving_ came up. The scene where Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike started their search for water played.


	40. A Little Bit of This and That

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I have decided to change the name of Carlos's mother to Marie as I feel it'd be better suited for her. This chapter has a little bit of Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter forty-one.

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Chapter 40: A Little Bit of This and That

Diane was pouring coffee into a mug in the Johnson residence's kitchen in the early evening. She filled it halfway and put the kettle back in the coffeemaker. She sipped a little bit of her coffee before smacking her lips. She looked out the window to see the moon surrounded by a ring of clouds. She smiled, thinking that was a beautiful sight.

She turned back to her mug to sip more of her coffee. She and Ricky had been surprised when Andros told her that he and Ashley wanted their families together at their house at seven-thirty because they wanted to share the results of the ultrasound with them and her parents after they got home. They agreed to it when her husband talked with Ashton on the phone. She wondered what was going on. She wasn't about to probe Andros for questions because she didn't want to anger him.

Diane shifted her attention toward the window to see a northern mockingbird sitting on the windowsill. The mockingbird chirped a beautiful melody. It flapped its wings to air them out. She laid her coffee on the counter and looked at it. Just then, Ricky came up behind her. He laid his hands on her shoulders, and she looked up at him.

"You just had to come up behind me, didn't you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. I won't stop doing that," he answered, chuckling quietly. "Nope, nope, nope."

"Sure thing, Ducky," Diane said in playful manner. "You know you've been watching too much of _The Land Before_ Time movies when you say her lines."

Ricky shrugged. "What can I say? I like watching those movies from time to time, despite they are meant for kids."

"Who the hell cares if they are meant for kids? Adults can watch them too. You're never too old for cartoons," Diane commented.

"That's true. Then again, don't throw me into the TV, so I can become part of a movie!" Ricky blurted out. She elbowed him in the stomach. He grabbed it while whimpering. She turned around, looking at him with mock sympathy.

"Aw. Did I hurt the widdle bitty baby?" Diane taunted.

"Yes, you did! In fact, I think you bruised my spleen!" Ricky cried, sniffling loudly.

"I'll kiss it better," Diane said as she kissed her fingertips. She patted his stomach after he took his hand away. "All better?"

"Yes," Ricky said, standing tall and proud.

Diane pressed a fist to his chin. "Good."

He patted her on top of her head, laughing when she grabbed his wrist and removed his hand from there. She put it at his side and slapped his cheeks with both hands. She stopped after five seconds. They became very serious.

"I am itching for Ashton, Anna, and Ashley to be here. I am eager to know the results of the ultrasound," Diane grumbled with an annoyed scoff.

"Me too, but we can't exactly call them on their cellphones and make them walk faster. This is especially true for Ashley because her pregnancy is at its most vulnerable state. Seventy-five percent of miscarriages happen within the first three months," Ricky commented calmly yet firmly.

She sighed heavily. "I know, but I want to get this over with. This is the second time in four days we have had to deal with secrecy." She rolled her eyes.

"I know, but Andros and Ashley thought it was best for us to be together to hear everything again. I don't blame them this time. It helped a lot the first time around," Ricky said, running his hand over his face.

"Why did Tara have to be the one to spread the news of Ashley's pregnancy around school? That girl caused all that trouble for them. She needs her voice muted immediately," Diane muttered bitterly.

"Let's ask Billy to invent a remote that can mute voices when he returns home," Ricky said, pressing his lips together. "Then again, we can always ask Kendrix to do that."

"It's nice to know a nerdy girl is among our son's friends," Diane said warmly. "Cassie was brave to stop Tara from bullying Kendrix not once but twice."

He shrugged. "Hey, you have to do what you have to do to protect your friends."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Ricky and Diane made their way toward the front door. They passed TJ and Karone, who were sitting in the armchairs. He looked through the peephole to see Ashton, Anna, and Ashley. He unlocked it to open it.

"Hey, it's good to see you three," Ricky greeted.

"It's good to see you," Ashton replied. He, Anna, and Ashley walked in after Ricky and Diane stepped aside.

"Andros, the Hammonds are here!" Diane called.

"I'm coming, Mrs. Johnson!" Andros called from upstairs. "I'll be downstairs in a sec!"

Ricky locked the door after closing it. Ashton and Anna went to the couch, sitting down with loud grunts. Ashley stopped in front of the coffee table. Ricky and Diane walked to TJ's side.

"Could Andros get down here a little faster? I'd like to hear the results of the ultrasound now," Ashton complained.

"I do too, but this is Friday. We don't have to get up early in the morning," Anna added.

"Let's not forget that good things come to those who wait," Ashley pointed out seriously.

"Maybe that's true, but—" Anna started.

"Mom, I'm not in the mood for buts tonight," Ashley snapped in frustration.

"Okay!" Anna said defensively as she held her hands up. "You didn't have to snap at me."

"Hey, don't be hard on her, honey," Ashton said, looking at his wife. "She's going to be dealing with mood swings throughout the pregnancy and in the weeks following childbirth."

"I know," Anna mumbled, turning to her husband. "It's just that I wish we could move things along faster during times like this. It would help make the situation little better."

"Don't worry," Ashton assured. "This will be all over soon enough."

Ashton kissed Anna's forehead. He rubbed the same spot before tapping it. Just then, Andros came down the stairs. Ashton and Anna looked toward him as he came to Ashley's side. The parents gave them serious looks.

"So, what's going on now?" Ricky asked curiously.

"Why did you want all of us to be together for results of the ultrasound?" Diane wondered, crossing her arms.

Andros and Ashley looked at each other. They weren't sure if they could tell the adults about their news, but they knew they had to. They turned back to them, taking slow yet even breaths.

"Well, the ultrasound went very well. I am exactly seven weeks along. I am due July 22," Ashley explained.

Anna furrowed her brow. "Oh, I see."

Ashton became thoughtful. "That means you two became parents on your first night at the cabin." He cupped his chin in his hand. "You probably consider this pregnancy extra special."

"We do, sir," Andros admitted. He dug his heel into the carpet as Ashton laid his hand in his lap.

"On top of that, the birth will be in the middle of the summer. You won't have to worry about missing school for it," Diane commented warmly.

"That's true," Ashley said in relief. "We—"

"I don't mean to offend you, honey, but could you continue telling about the pregnancy? After all, that's why we are here," Anna insisted.

Ashley nodded at her. She decided it wasn't worth waiting anymore. "Okay. We don't know how to say this, but—"

Ricky showed impatience. "Come on. Let's hear it. What's going on?"

"Well, we are having twins," Ashley mumbled.

"What?" Ashton asked in confusion.

"We're having twins!" Andros blurted out.

Ashton, Anna, Ricky, and Diane gasped in great shock. Their mouths opened and closed, unable to form any words. Andros and Ashley became nervous. TJ and Karone didn't react, but they had no doubt the parents' reaction would be this way.

"I know you guys weren't expecting this, but you needed to know," Ashley said, her body trembling somewhat.

"We weren't expecting it either," Andros admitted.

Anna emitted a small sigh. "We spent four days preparing to hear how the baby was doing, only to learn it's twins you two are having."

Diane uncrossed her arms. "This is something you don't hear every day, especially amongst teen parents."

"It's hard for adults to care for twins, but it's going to be harder for you two because you are so young," Ricky said in seriousness.

"Not to mention Ashley's pregnancy has the potential to become risky as it progresses due to her age," Ashton added.

"You think I don't know that, Dad?" Ashley retorted, letting out a heavy sigh. "I am determined to have these babies." She laid her other hand on her stomach. "Kai has already scheduled me for another ultrasound on January 13. I will have one every month throughout my pregnancy. None of the examinations will cost a cent."

"Don't say anything about college. Ashley and I have already decided we are postponing it for several years. I will work on getting a full-time job after graduation. Ashley will look for one herself after she recovers from the birth. It's likely we'll have to put the children in daycare, but they'll benefit from that because they'll interact with others," Andros added.

Ashley tightened her grip on Andros's hand a little bit. "Who knows? Andros might get a job that pays well enough to let me stay home with the children."

"Though I can't work more hours at the Surf Spot right now due to school, I will ask Adelle if she can allow me to work full time after graduation. It would be until I can find a better paying full-time job," Andros added.

"TJ, Cassie, and Karone already know about the twins. We decided to tell them first," Ashley said and ran her tongue over teeth.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ricky said as he and Diane took looks at TJ and Karone.

"TJ and Karone did a great job of keeping quiet about the pregnancy when it first became known. It's only natural they'd know about the twins before we did," Diane said truthfully.

TJ shrugged. "Karone and I couldn't exactly say, 'Hey, Andros and Ashley are having twins. What's for dinner?'" He laughed nervously.

"Just like before, Andros and Ashley needed to be the ones to tell all of you," Karone added.

"I have a feeling that you two are going to experience even more harassment from teachers and students once they know you are having twins," Anna warned.

"We know, Mrs. Hammond, but we don't care," Andros said in determination. He put his other hand over Ashley's. "These are our children. They are our lives, and we will try our hardest to be good parents to them."

"I believe Andros and Ashley can raise two children, despite it will be very hard for them. I think I will like the challenge of helping them," TJ said proudly.

Karone smiled warmly. "I have to admit that I am eager to be an aunt to twins. It means double the joy."

Ashton, Anna, Ricky, and Diane looked at each other. Despite they were uncertain that Andros and Ashley could raise twins, they understood how determined the youngsters were to do it. After all, it could prove to be a rather interesting experience for them. They shifted their attention back to the couple.

"Just like before, Diane and I are with you all the way," Ricky said as he and the other adults stood up.

"So are Anna and I. We are very proud of you for thinking of your children's future," Ashton added.

Ashley choked back a sob as she pulled her hands out of Andros's grasp. "Thank you so much."

Andros sniffled. "We appreciate it."

Ashton and Anna went over to Ashley to give her a big hug. Ricky and Diane approached Andros, who hugged both of them. Clearing throats sounded, causing everyone to release his or her hold on each other. The group looked at TJ and Karone standing before it.

"Don't you dare leave out of this," TJ warned playfully.

"We're part of this family too," Karone added.

Ricky held up his hand. "Don't worry, you two. We're not leaving you out ever." He winked at the duo.

"That'd be wrong," Diane said honestly.

Andros snickered. "Remember. We will be dealing with twice as many smelly diapers." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"All of us should prepare to yell 'P.U.!' a million times a day," Ashley joked and laughed raucously.

"Okay. That's enough," Andros said, waving his hands in the air. "I should mention to the parents that Ashley and I got ultrasound pictures of the babies."

"Great. Do you think we could see them now?" Diane suggested.

"Of course, Mrs. Johnson. I can go get mine from upstairs," Andros said, jerking toward the stairs.

"You better go get them now!" Ricky yelled in a drill sergeant's voice.

"Okay!" Andros said, giving two thumbs-ups.

The others watched the young man race upstairs. They looked at each other, their eyebrows raising.

"I have no doubt you two were overjoyed to see the first ultrasound," Ricky commented.

"We were, Mr. Johnson," Ashley admitted. "We just didn't think we would—well, you know." She chuckled.

"I understand," Ricky said, winking at her.

"Speaking of twins, it's quite possible that you will start showing earlier than normal, dear," Anna said, crossing her arms.

"I'm aware of that, Mom. I have a feeling people will call me fat once I do start showing," Ashley mumbled with some nervousness.

"If they do, Ash, they'll be hearing from me," TJ declared.

"As well as me," Karone added, giving a sharp nod.

"Thanks," Ashley said, smiling at the duo. She turned to her parents. "By the way, I plan to scan the ultrasound pictures I have to our computer and email them to Cassie later tonight. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Ashton said, winking at his daughter.

"I'd like to go on and tell Aunt Raylene about the twins. I don't want to tell the grandparents until they come for Christmas. Andros said he wants to wait to tell TJ's grandfather until he comes for Christmas too," Ashley commented seriously.

"It's up to both of you with what you want to do, honey," Anna said.

The sound of footsteps caught the group's attention. Everyone looked up to see Andros coming down the stairs with the ultrasound pictures in his hand. They went into the kitchen.


	41. Gone in the Night

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. There is a little bit of Kai/OC fluff in this one. It looks likely the veteran Rangers will appear in the next few chapters. Stay tuned for chapter forty-two.

XXXXX

Chapter 41: Gone in the Night

An American robin sat on the Chen residence's roof in the midevening. It ran its beak through its back feathers. The house was large with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. A wooden fence surrounded the backyard. A patio was in front of the back door and contained a metal table and four matching chairs. A soccer goal was in the middle of the backyard with a soccer ball in front of it.

The robin spread its swings and flew downward. It landed on a windowsill before shaking its head. It looked inside to see An-Mei sitting on her queen-sized bed reading her biology notes in her room, which was medium-sized with light green walls, a hardwood dresser, an oak nightstand, and a TV with a VCR embedded into it. The floor was covered in light green carpet. A desk with a computer, a picture scanner, a printer, and a cable modem attached to the wall were off in the corner.

An-Mei finished reading the fifth page and turned her attention toward the sixth one. She resembled Kai, but she was slightly shorter than he was and had Brittany's light skin and long curly brown hair. She had a lean frame with some muscle. A scar went from the top of her left palm to the bottom of it. She heard knocking and gazed at the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened with a slight squeak, revealing Kai. An-Mei smiled at her father as he came in and closed it behind him. He went to his daughter's side.

"Hey, Dad," An-Mei greeted.

"Hey yourself, honey," Kai said and sat down on the bed. He noticed the notebook. "I see you've been studying your notes."

"You bet, but I think I have done enough studying for tonight," An-Mei said, closing it.

"My father once joked he should glue my nose to my books and notebooks, so I couldn't stop studying," Kai commented, chuckling. "He was determined to see me make the best grades possible."

"I am determined to do just that," An-Mei said sweetly. "What's great about weekends is I have plenty of time to study and do any homework I have." She squeaked in delight.

"Oh, yes. I wonder who came up with the idea for weekends," Kai said thoughtfully.

She shrugged. "Beats me. Wouldn't it be cool if we could add an extra day to the weekend?"

He nodded. "I think it would. Quailman did just that after he defeated the Rulemeister in _Doug_. He called it Funday."

"I remember that episode. Mr. Bone and Rulemeister had many things in common. They came up with the stupidest rules. One of Mr. Bone's rules was giving a Saturday detention to students due to Doug putting polka-dotted underwear on a statue," she mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"That only happened because Roger dared Doug to do that," he pointed out.

"I know. Roger was a big bully. He reminds me of Johnny, Brian, Bianca, and Tara, but they are worse than he ever was," An-Mei whispered with a loud scoff.

"They may be, but life often does imitate art," Kai said, running his hand over his face.

"Ditto," An-Mei agreed. "Despite karma keeps biting those four in their butts, they won't stop bullying people." She clenched her teeth. "Tara is the worst of the bunch because of the trouble she caused Andros and Ashley. I even overheard two students saying they hoped Ashley suffered a miscarriage because she conceived out of wedlock just before I left school this afternoon. They said both of them were horrible people."

"Those students are sick in the head for what they said," Kai said angrily. "Just because a couple has a child before being married doesn't make them horrible. This isn't the 1950s anymore. Couples can live together and have children without being married. It doesn't make them any less of a family."

An-Mei nodded in agreement. She wished people would stop caring more about parents' marital status than they did the children's health. She'd love to scream in the faces of the students who hoped Ashley suffered a miscarriage. Then again, she knew that was what they wanted.

"Dad, do you ever wonder what might have been had you and Mom not had me so young?" she asked in curiosity.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "We probably would've gone on vacation and spent time with our friends more often. We were even planning to travel the United States and Canada after we graduated from college. After you came, nothing else mattered. You were number one in our lives. We don't regret having you in the least bit."

"Thanks," An-Mei said, stretching her arms above her head. She laid her hands in her lap. "It's incredible that you found Andros and Ashley were having twins instead of just one baby." She smiled lightly.

"It's not something you see every day," Kai said honestly and rubbed his nose. "I am determined to make sure Ashley experiences a healthy pregnancy."

An-Mei touched his shoulder. "It's great that you have used your experience as a teen father to make teen parents feel comfortable." She patted it gently. "They need sympathy, not judgment."

"I know. Unfortunately, people would rather judge others than come to understand them. It's how the world has always been," Kai whispered sadly.

"I hear people go on and on about bad millennials are. However, they ignore the fact that plenty of Gen-Xers, baby boomers, and people from previous generations were bad too. When I was studying for a physical science test at the Biggs Café last year, an elderly woman came up to me and told me how bad my generation was. She said we had no morals whatsoever because many of us were having sex out of wedlock," An-Mei commented, her voice showing hints of frustration. She laid her hand in her lap. "It made me sick."

"An elderly woman said the same to me when I was in my sophomore year of high school, except I was sitting in the Downtown Square with my parents. My parents told her off. I was proud of them," Kai responded happily.

"It's good Grandma and Grandpa stuck up for you, especially when people put you and Mom down for being teen parents," An-Mei said, a small smile crossing her lips.

Kai crossed his arms. "No one messes with my family and gets away with it. No siree."

An-Mei ruffled her father's hair. Kai uncrossed his arms and waved his hand in front of his daughter's face. He raised it high, jerking it down. She slapped him lightly on the cheek. She rushed two fingers forward, only to be blocked by him holding his hand sideways between his eyes. He pushed hers downward. They shared a laugh.

"I can't get enough of pulling that _Three Stooges_ routine with you," she said in a warm voice.

"Me neither," he agreed. "My parents may not joke around much, but they can be funny. The same goes for your mother's parents." He winked at her.

"Anyway, I do hope Ashley gives birth to healthy twins," An-Mei commented gently. "It makes me wonder who they will look like."

"Your mom and I kept wondering who you'd look like because we were of different races. You ended up getting features from both of us," Kai answered, running his hand over her hair.

"I always hear boys tell me how pretty I am. I like hearing that, though there is more to me than just my looks. On top of that, Ashley is considered the prettiest girl in school. I'm seen as the second prettiest," An-Mei said.

"Mom once said a beautiful face can hide an ugly heart. I've met plenty of good-looking people with very ugly personalities. Unfortunately, evil can appear in the form of good to gain people's trust," Kai muttered in disgust.

"Mm-hmm," she agreed. "Anyway, I'm determined to save myself for the man I love and who loves me back." She pressed her lips together. "I don't want my first time to be meaningless."

"Nobody does, but it doesn't always happen that way. What's important that you and your boyfriend do whatever you can to prevent pregnancy," he said.

"Don't worry, Dad. We will," An-Mei assured.

"If you and your boyfriend do end up becoming parents, your mother and I will support you all the way," Kai declared firmly. "We love you, and there is nothing you can do that will ever change that."

"Thanks," An-Mei said in happiness. They hugged each other. "I love you."

"I love you too, my baby girl," Kai answered lovingly. They pulled back to look each other in the eye. "Well, it's time for me to go."

"Okay," An-Mei said while nodding. She saw him rise to his feet. "If I don't see you again tonight, I want to tell you good night."

"Good night to you too, honey," Kai said and flicked her nose.

An-Mei watched her father head out of the room. She opened the top drawer on her nightstand to put the notebook in.

00000

In the kitchen, Brittany was waiting for the kettle to finish heating the water by the stove. Being Caucasian, she was somewhat tan. She was petite and possessed a lean frame. Her long curly brown hair was up in a ponytail. Her light brown eyes had scars underneath them. Her right palm had a scar right across the bottom of it.

She looked around the large kitchen at its dark red cabinets, light red walls, bar with five stools, and oak table with six unmatching cars. The kettle whistled loudly while releasing steam. She shifted her attention to it and turned off the burner before removing it. She poured the water into mugs, which had tea bags in them. Footsteps caught her attention, and she looked at Kai coming her way.

"Hey there. I was just finishing up with the tea," she said and set the kettle on the stove.

"I can see that," he responded and came to his wife's side. "I've already told An-Mei good night. I don't think she'll be going to bed anytime soon, though."

"Why shouldn't she? It's Friday night after all," Brittany said with a giggle.

"I remember when I challenged my parents to a contest to see who could stay up the latest one Friday night," Kai commented. "My parents fell asleep at one in the morning. I didn't go to sleep until three." He looked very proud. "I boasted how I beat them when I woke up at eleven the next morning."

"I could never stay up so late," Brittany replied, shaking her head. "I'm meant to be a morning person."

Kai shrugged. He and Brittany picked up the mugs and sipped the tea carefully. He nodded in approval while chuckling.

"That's what I call great tea," Kai said.

"Oh, yes," Brittany agreed. "It also warms me up."

He put his other hand on his mug. "It's the perfect thing for a cool night. When the sun goes down, the air loses its warmth quickly."

"At least it will be sunny tomorrow. The air will warm up quickly once the sun gets into the sky," Brittany pointed out.

"I find it incredible that the sun is only ninety-three million miles away from Earth," Kai said with his eyebrows raised. "The next closest star is trillions of miles away."

"Since we know intelligent life exists in the far reaches of the universe, I can safely say we've never been alone," Brittany commented.

"So can I. I'd love to visit another planet and learn about its culture," Kai said, taking a small sip of his tea.

She became thoughtful. "It makes me wonder if aliens visited Earth during the time of the dinosaurs."

"I'd say that's highly likely given the ancient history of Rita Repulsa and Zordon's war with each other. Alpha 6 told us that when we visited the Power Rangers Museum six months ago," Kai responded.

Brittany shrugged. She flexed her shoulders before moving her head from side to side. She took slow yet even breaths.

"I can imagine dinosaurs being wary yet curious about their alien visitors," Brittany said, sipping more of her tea.

"I could see an alien getting curious about a baby dinosaur and trying to pet it. Its mother appears and gets angry. She chases the alien until he jumps off a waterfall into a raging river down below. He is unharmed and sees the mother walk away. He doesn't do it again," Kai replied.

Brittany giggled gleefully. "Yep, yep, yep."

"Are you Ducky now, Brittany?" Kai wondered and picked her cheek. He spoke baby talk.

"No, but I'd like to be. She's such a cute little Saurolophus with her big personality," Brittany answered in sweetness. She grabbed her husband's wrist and pulled his hand off her cheek. She placed it at his side.

"I can see why _The Land Before Time_ fans misidentify her as a Parasaurolophus. Her crest is similar to that dinosaur's. The difference is the Parasaurolophus's crest curves back while hers is completely straight," he explained.

"Some people say Parasaurolophus and Saurolophus made sounds with their crests to attract mates and used them as snorkels while swimming," she said.

"However, their skulls show the crests don't have any holes. I think they were just displays for attracting mates. Whichever male had the best-looking crest was likely the healthiest," Kai said.

"That's a good theory," Brittany answered honestly.

Kai gave a sharp nod. "It sure is."

Brittany put her other hand on her mug. She took a long gulp of her tea and licked her lips. Kai let out a long yawn, which caused her to furrow her brow. He smacked his lips.

"You look tired," Brittany said, a small sigh coming out of her mouth.

"After seeing six moms-to-be today, including Ashley, who wouldn't be?" Kai mumbled with a shrug. "At least I can sleep in tomorrow morning." He sipped more of his tea.

"On top of that, you learned that Andros and Ashley were having twins," Brittany whispered and smiled warmly.

"Yeah," Kai agreed and laughed lightly. "The best thing about that was seeing how well they accepted the news after the shock wore off. They looked very determined to raise their children."

"They will likely have to deal with more teasing and taunting from teachers and students once the news becomes known," Brittany pointed out, sipping her tea.

"Maybe they will, but I don't care. I'm caring for Ashley during her entire pregnancy," Kai declared.

"That's great," Brittany said, winking at him. "If any doctors badmouth her, tell them to go kiss a wall."

Kai snickered as he and Brittany put their tea down. They turned to face each other. He cupped her chin in his hand and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. They rubbed noses.

"You know how much I love you, don't you?" Kai asked.

Brittany nodded. "Yes, I do. I thank God every day that our parents supported us when we told them we were expecting An-Mei."

Kai let go of her. "I find it interesting that Grandma and An-Mei share their name with one of the mothers in _The Joy Luck Club._ We had no idea until we saw the movie five years ago."

"It's a beautiful movie. I can't get enough of watching it," Brittany said, warmth echoing from her voice.

"Neither can I, especially when An-Mei joins us. She always points out the mother who has her name when she comes onscreen. They have one thing in common. They are strong women," Kai commented with a quiet laugh.

"Yep," Brittany agreed.

The lovebirds shared another kiss. They hugged each other tightly. They broke apart after twenty seconds. They started talking about the time An-Mei put whoopie cushions under the couch cushions in which they caused them to deflate when they sat down.


	42. Pregnancy Downsides and Talking Names

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley, Leo/Kendrix, and Zhane/Karone. I made a small change to chapter twelve where Ashley has a picture scanner, so she can save pictures to her computer. Picture scanners did exist in 1999 as I did research on their history. Stay tuned for chapter forty-three.

XXXXX

Chapter 42: Pregnancy Downsides/Talking Names

The early morning sun shined down on Angel Grove High School three days later. Ashley walked through the front doors. She went to her locker and opened it. She adjusted the mirror somewhat before looking into it. She slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. She smoothed out her white blouse with her hands.

She turned to the interior. She had gotten her prenatal vitamins at Kroger two days ago. Anna told her taking them on an empty stomach would ease her morning sickness. She did just that yesterday and today, and she didn't get sick at all. She was grateful for her mother's advice on pregnancy, as it had helped her a lot.

She was glad to know that Carlos, Zhane, and Justin had accepted her and Andros's news when she called their houses to tell them. So did Raylene when Anna called her. She was relieved to know her friends' parents had also accepted it when Carlos and Justin called back after telling them. The same went for Cassie's parents when she called her. She sent Carlos, Zhane, and Justin ultrasound pictures through email and was very happy to learn they liked them a lot.

Ashley gazed down at her stomach and touched it. She rubbed it so lightly that it seemed she wasn't. She thought about the possibility of showing earlier than normal. She didn't mind that. Of course, she knew her baby bump would likely be heavier than most were. She heard humming and looked toward Cassie approaching her locker. She grabbed her calculus book before closing hers with a loud slam.

"Good morning, Cassie," Ashley greeted.

"Good morning, Ashley," Cassie responded and looked at her. She gave her a warm smile. "How are you feeling this morning?

"Pretty good," Ashley said as she turned around to lean her back against her locker. "Unfortunately, those prenatal vitamins don't taste very good."

"Mom hated taking her prenatal vitamins, but she dealt with it," Cassie commented and opened her locker. "Her face also broke out. She looked like a pizza at one point."

Ashley gulped fearfully. "I hope that doesn't happen to me."

Cassie got her chemistry book. "I hope that doesn't happen to you either." She closed her locker with a loud slam. "By the way, remember what I said about you carrying heavy stuff."

"Cassie, would you please back off? I won't carry anything too heavy," Ashley snapped irritatingly. "I'm not stupid."

"Okay. You don't have to get huffy with me," Cassie growled angrily.

Ashley's irritation turned to guilt. She placed her hand over her face, feeling very embarrassed. She removed it and put it at her side.

"I'm sorry, Cass. I'm just—" Ashley started.

"I know," Cassie replied gently. She knew Ashley was talking about pregnancy hormones. "You should prepare yourself. You could have a mood swing so bad that not even Mr. Kaplan would be safe from you."

"I wish I could stop these mood swings from happening, but I can't. No pregnant woman can," Ashley mumbled with a heavy sigh.

"There's a chance you could suffer from postpartum depression after you give birth," Cassie said seriously. "It's possible you can become depressed while pregnant. That's called antepartum depression."

"I read about both. If I do become depressed before or after the birth, it's possible it could be worse because I am a mother of twins," Ashley said somewhat nervously.

"I don't know," Cassie answered honestly. She turned around and leaned her back against her locker. She looked at her best friends. "Unfortunately, some depressed moms-to-be abuse pills. That can have a devastating effect on their babies. Sometimes, the babies are stillborn at birth." She shuddered badly.

"It's horrible mothers would harm their unborn babies by abusing pills," Ashley whispered, her voice tinged with anger. "I'm sure they don't even think of the harm they are causing. They only care about getting their next high." She appeared ready to vomit.

"I know. One thing is clear. You should talk to Kai about medications you could take if you experience antepartum or postpartum depression," Cassie said calmly yet firmly.

"Yes, you should talk to Kai about that," a female voice said gently.

Ashley and Cassie looked ahead to see Leo and Kendrix standing a short distance away. The duo approached them, smiling lightly.

"Hey, Leo, Kendrix," Cassie greeted.

"Hey yourself, Cassie," Leo replied and winked at her.

"How long have you two be standing there?" Cassie asked curiously.

Kendrix giggled. "Long enough to learn that Andros and Ashley are having twins. Talk about a surprise."

"We found out at the ultrasound appointment. We were not expecting it at all," Ashley said, smacking her lips. "I was found to be exactly seven weeks along. I am due July 22."

"Well, you have my support," Leo declared.

"As well as mine. It's nice to actually see you in person, Ashley," Kendrix said with a small smile. "I've heard so much about you and the rest of your gang from TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin."

"So have I whenever Andros, Carlos, and Cassie talk with me before chemistry class starts," Leo added. "By the way, you are really glowing, Ashley."

Ashley smiled warmly and pushed her bangs out of her face. "Thanks, Leo. It's nice to see you two in person as well. I've heard so much about you too. By the way, you're so cute, Kendrix."

Kendrix blushed somewhat, but it was enough to make her face red. "Thanks. It's nice to hear that. So few people have ever called me cute."

"I'm one of those people," Leo said, looking down at her.

"I know," Kendrix responded, gazing up at him. The redness faded from her face. "By the way, you're cute too."

Leo tickled Kendrix's neck, making her laugh. He ceased his assault on her and grabbed her ponytail. He tapped the tip of it on her cheek twice. He let go of her. She flicked his nose three times. Ashley and Cassie giggled, causing the duo to look at them.

"You two look really cute together," Ashley commented.

"Ain't that the truth?" Cassie asked with a snicker.

"Ain't isn't a word. I ain't going to say it," Kendrix said in a singsong voice.

"You just did," Ashley said with a laugh.

"Only because Cassie made me say it," Kendrix squeaked cheerfully.

Cassie pretended to look offend. "Hey!"

"Anyway, how are you and the babies doing, Ashley?" Leo wondered.

"We're doing just fine. I haven't had any morning sickness since I got prenatal vitamins. I just wish they tasted better," Ashley explained.

"Don't all pregnant women? Anyway, have you and Andros discussed any baby names? You will have to choose two after all," Kendrix pointed out.

"Not yet. I can say that I am looking forward to my next ultrasound appointment. Kai made Andros and me so comfortable at the first one," Ashley whispered, sniffling softly. "Some doctors have criticized him for having sympathy for teen parents." She showed some disgust.

Kendrix sighed heavily. "That's unfortunate."

"No one likes to be criticized. That's for sure," Cassie said truthfully.

"Some of us take it better than others do," Ashley added.

"All of us know several people who can't take criticism at all," a male voice commented.

Leo, Kendrix, Ashley, and Cassie looked toward Andros, who stood a short distance away. He came to Ashley's side and put his arm around her. He kissed her temple, and she turned to him.

"How's my beautiful mother-to-be this morning?" Andros whispered lovingly.

"I'm doing fine. So are the twins," Ashley replied happily and touched her stomach. She smiled at him putting his hand over hers.

"Wonderful," Andros said, planting a kiss to her forehead. He gazed at Leo and Kendrix. "It's nice to see you, Leo."

"You too, Andros," Leo responded, giving him a thumbs-up.

"It's great to see you in person, Andros," Kendrix added.

"The same goes for you, Kendrix," Andros said with a smile. He looked at Ashley and leaned close to her ear. "By the way, I can't wait for our date to the lake this Thursday. I am eager to get it on with you again." He snickered.

"You're such a naughty boy," Ashley growled playfully. "I wish our Christmas getaway to my aunt's cabin would get here faster. I'm anxious for it."

Kendrix ran her fingers through her hair. "Cassie told me you two went up to your aunt's cabin back in October, Ashley. Because you're due July 22, that means you and Andros conceived your twins your first night there."

Ashley glanced at her, as did Andros. "Mm-hmm. We don't regret it one bit. Kai told us that we can continue to have sex as long as I am healthy."

"That's good. I don't know if my uncle would be comfortable enough with letting me go to a cabin with a boyfriend," Kendrix whispered with a shrug.

"I don't know if my parents would be comfortable with letting go to a cabin with a girlfriend either," Leo commented.

Andros and Ashley couldn't stop themselves from chuckling. Just then, TJ, Carlos, Zhane, Karone, and Justin walked up to the group.

"Hey, guys," TJ greeted.

"Hey yourself, Teej," Kendrix responded in a warm voice. She looked toward Zhane and Karone. "It's nice to see you two in person."

"Oh, yeah," Leo agreed, a small chuckle coming out of his mouth. "We hear a lot about you." He scratched the back of his neck.

"The same came be said for you two in regards to Karone and me," Zhane said and put his arm around Karone. "It's nice to see you in person."

"I'm sorry your parents were so cruel to you and that your sister still is, Kendrix," Karone said sympathetically. "You never deserved to be treated like that." She acted as if she were spitting at the floor.

"Thanks, Karone. No one can help who they are related to," Kendrix pointed out bluntly.

"That's true," Carlos admitted and let out a sad sigh. "It's been said bullying often starts at home." He shook his head in disbelief. "Parents are nearly always the cause of it as they encourage their children to bully each other. In turn, they bully others outside the home."

"Talk about sick," Justin mumbled.

The others voiced their agreement. Andros and Ashley turned to each other. He took his hand away from hers.

"It might be early in the pregnancy, Andros, but have you thought of any baby names yet?" Ashley wondered.

"Yes, I have," Andros admitted. "I know that most twins are fraternal and consist of a boy and a girl. How about Gabriel for a boy and Jessica for a girl?"

Ashley gasped in happiness. "I love those names! They're perfect!"

"That's great," Andros said and hugged her tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Ashley answered, kissing his cheek after he pulled back. "I hope you don't mind if I start showing earlier the normal."

Andros shook his head. "Not at all. I can hardly wait to feel the twins' movements." He patted her stomach very gently as they looked at the others.

"I have to say that you came up with great baby names, Andros," Leo complimented.

"You sure did," Kendrix agreed.

TJ nodded in agreement. "Yep. Of course, there is always a chance you will have two boys or two girls." He moved his eyebrows up and down.

"I've thought of names myself. If one twin is a boy, he will have Gabriel as his name. The name I've come up with if the other twin is a boy is Daniel. If one twin is a girl, she will have Jessica as her name. The name I've come up with if the other twin is a girl is Rachel," Ashley explained.

"I like the names you've chosen, Ash," Andros commented sweetly and kissed her temple.

"Me too," Justin said.

"Me three," Carlos added.

"Hey, don't forget us. We like all the names too," TJ, Zhane, and Karone said, gesturing toward themselves.

"So do we," Cassie, Leo, and Kendrix chimed, pointing their fingers at themselves.

"As do I," a male voice said.

The teens looked toward Mr. Kaplan, who stood not far from them. The principal walked up to them.

"How long have you been standing there, Mr. Kaplan?" Zhane wondered.

"Long enough to learn that Andros and Ashley have picked out names for their twins," Mr. Kaplan answered and gazed at Andros and Ashley. "I have to say I wasn't expecting that all."

"Neither were we, sir, but we're happy we know now," Andros said and took his arm away from Ashley. "The babies are growing normally, and they will be born on July 22."

"That's nice. One thing that won't change is my support for you two. Though you will have a challenge on your hands raising twins, I believe you will be great parents to them," Mr. Kaplan said, smiling at the couple.

"Thank you, sir," Ashley whispered in relief. "On top of that, my schoolwork is finished and ready to hand in to the teachers."

"So is mine," Andros added.

"Wonderful. I knew you both would keep up with your schoolwork," Mr. Kaplan responded proudly. "By the way, how is your job going, Andros?"

"It's going very well. Adelle says I am doing a wonderful job. I'm getting my first paycheck this Thursday. I'm planning to open up a bank account at SunTrust. TJ said he'd go with me," Andros explained happily.

"It is better to put your money in a bank than it is to carry it around. You never know when someone will steal your wallet," Mr. Kaplan commented, his voice showing seriousness.

"Yep," TJ agreed.

Mr. Kaplan looked at his watch. He let out a long whistle before he shifted his attention toward the teens.

"The bell is going to ring soon. You kids should get to class," Mr. Kaplan said.

"We will, sir," Zhane replied.

Mr. Kaplan nodded and walked away. The teens gazed at each other with shrugs. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo ran upstairs. Kendrix headed down the hallway in front of the stairs. Ashley, Zhane, and Karone went left. TJ and Justin walked right while singing nonsense.

Unbeknownst to any of them, Johnny peered around the corner. He had been listening in on the conservation about Andros and Ashley's twins and the names they wanted to give them. He chuckled deviously. He wasn't about to pass up this opportunity to let the school know about it.

Johnny looked toward a student passing the stairs. He went to him, stopping him in his tracks. He whispered inaudible words into his ear. The student nodded slowly. He walked toward a student going toward the stairs. He stopped her and proceeded to whisper into her ear. Johnny smiled evilly at the scene unfolding before him.


	43. Come and Get It

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-three of "Not Here." I am glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. It's looking likely that the veteran Rangers will appear in the chapter after the next one. Stay tuned for chapter forty-four.

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Chapter 43: Come and Get It

Andros sat at the bottom of the stairs in the late morning. He was waiting for Ashley to come out of the women's restroom as nausea had hit her after their friends parted ways at her and Cassie's lockers. He ran his hand through his hair before moving his head from side to side. He clasped his hands together and put them in front of him.

He coughed twice. He was grateful to Mr. Kaplan for instructing her teachers to excuse her if she was late to class due to morning sickness. The same went for him if he was with her. After all, she could never be certain when she would get sick. Even with prenatal vitamins and crackers, she couldn't prevent every single bout.

He looked toward two students staring at him with much disapproval as they stood next to the lockers behind the trashcan. He had a feeling someone overheard him and Ashley talking about the twins with their friends. He hoped said person wasn't Tara as he and Ashley had been angry when Cassie told them that she was the one responsible for their troubles. If that turned out to be the case, he would be furious and may not be able to keep himself from yelling in her face if he saw her.

The young man saw the students head down the hallway in front of the stairs. He rose to his feet and made his way toward the women's restroom. He stopped in front of it and slipped his hands in his pockets. He looked toward the stairs to see students going up and down them. He shifted his attention back to the door. His girlfriend came out while taking slow yet even breaths.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered with a nod. "Thank God I was near the bathroom when the nausea hit. I don't think I would've made it if we were further down that hallway." She pointed her finger over his shoulder as she chuckled nervously.

"The same can be said for the other hallways," Andros said as he motioned in all directions. He saw his girlfriend lower her arm. "I'll get used to the morning sickness, though."

"At least I didn't forget my prenatal vitamins," Ashley commented, patting her backpack's strap as it hung over her shoulder. "They are so important for our babies."

"Of course," Andros agreed. "Anyway, this bout of nausea has passed. We can go to class now."

She sighed in relief. "We sure can. We don't have far to go before we reach Ms. Applebee's classroom." She smiled.

He shook his head. "Nope, nope, nope."

"If you say another one of Ducky's lines, you're going to become her," Ashley quipped.

"So will you if you say one," Andros retorted playfully. He reached for her cheek, but she swatted his hand aside.

"That's enough," Ashley warned, shaking her finger at him. "We'd better get to class."

Andros and Ashley were about to head off when they heard a girl yell out. They looked toward An-Mei glaring at Bianca, who had a big smirk on her face. The girls were standing in the hallway to the right of the stairs.

"You just had to come up behind me and hit me in the back of my head, didn't you, Bianca?" An-Mei hissed angrily.

"Yes, I did," Bianca responded, her smirk growing wider. "There wasn't anything you could do about it, An-Mei. You half-breeds are all the same. You don't know what race to identify with." She poked the girl in the shoulder with her finger.

"I'm not a half-breed. I'm biracial," An-Mei snapped, narrowing her eyes at her. "Some biracial people among the best-looking in the world."

"No, they aren't. They are ugly mutts just like you," Bianca leered. "No matter how many boys tell you that you're beautiful, they are all lying to you." She laughed evilly. "They really think that you are ugly."

"It's ironic that you call me ugly when that describes you perfectly. What boy would want a girl with a terrible attitude like yours?" An-Mei retorted, acting as if she were spitting at the floor.

"Love is overrated just like you. I'll bet you'll end up just like your parents. They had you when they were teenagers after all," Bianca hissed, poking her in the shoulder with her finger again.

"It won't happen if I take precautions," An-Mei said with a snort. "Now, get lost. I have to go to class."

An-Mei walked left, but Bianca came up behind her again and knocked her algebra book out from underneath her arm, which sent it clattering to the floor. She turned around and bent down to get it. Unfortunately, Bianca picked it up and held it above her head. An-Mei jumped to try to get it, but her rival raised it higher.

"Come on, Bianca! Give it back!" An-Mei pleaded.

"Okay," Bianca said and lowered it. She brought it behind her back when An-Mei tried to reach for it. "It went behind my back. Oops."

"Please, just give it back," An-Mei yelled and attempted to get it from behind Bianca, but the latter brought it in front of her and put it above her head. She jumped for it, but she couldn't reach it. "Please, stop it."

"No way," Bianca leered and brought it behind her. "You're so pathetic that you can't even get this book back from me."

Bianca put the book above her head once more. An-Mei tried to jump for it again, but her rival raised it higher, laughing sinisterly. Unable to watch anymore, Andros stomped up behind Bianca and snatched the book out of her hand. Bianca hissed fiercely and turned around to face him.

"I believe this book belongs to An-Mei," Andros said firmly as he flared his nostrils.

"Well, if it isn't the Red Astro Ranger," Bianca sneered and looked over the young man's shoulder at Ashley. "You've brought the Yellow Astro Ranger with you." She turned back to him. "Word has gotten out you two are having twins. Talk about twice the bratty behavior."

Andros growled in determination. "I don't care what you think of Ashley and me having twins. You know damn well you shouldn't go around bullying people. On top of that, you should be ashamed of yourself for calling this innocent girl a half-breed."

Bianca scoffed. "Why should I be? She is a half-breed. Race mixing is so disgusting that it isn't even funny."

"No, it's not," Ashley growled in anger as she came to Andros's side. "Love knows no boundaries, including color. An-Mei can't control the fact that she is of two races, but she has something you don't have. It's inner beauty. You have inner ugliness."

"It's no wonder the boys consider you unattractive. Asian women are known for being among the most beautiful in the world, but you're not one of them. In fact, I highly doubt you will ever be," Andros growled bluntly.

"I'll become beautiful once my face clears up," Bianca said, turning her nose upward. "You'll see. After all, outer beauty is more important than inner beauty is."

"You're just like Johnny. You think how you look is the important thing in the world," Ashley said with a small growl.

An-Mei huffed and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "No guy will ever touch you with a one hundred foot-pole. In fact, I don't think he'd would be with you if you were the last girl on Earth."

"Whatever," Bianca said, waving the trio off. She turned to Ashley, who flared her nostrils. "I've heard that Kai Chen is your obstetrician, Ashley. That man shouldn't even be a doctor because he was a teen father once. He should be flipping burgers at McDonald's right now. That's where the majority of teen parents end up, anyway."

"Kai worked his ass off to get to where he is now. He may have been a teen father once, but he has every right to be a doctor," Ashley retorted.

"Kai and Brittany just happened to find themselves in unfortunate circumstances when they were teens. One mistake doesn't define a person's being," Andros added sternly.

"I'm following in Dad's footsteps to become an obstetrician. My parents don't consider college a waste of time, unlike yours. Most importantly, don't hold your nose so high. You might drown if it rains," An-Mei said, moving her eyebrows up and down.

Andros, Ashley, and An-Mei laughed raucously. Bianca growled and walked past them as they turned around. She headed upstairs, bumping into a student as he came down. He stared after her irritatingly until she reached the top. He resumed going down the stairs and walked right. The trio looked at each other.

"Talk about Bianca having no civility whatsoever," Ashley grumbled.

"She might as well slide up the railings. She wouldn't have to bump into anyone," An-Mei said with a laugh.

"Yeah," Andros agreed and handed the book to An-Mei. "Here you go."

An-Mei smiled sweetly. "Thanks for getting this back from me. I appreciate it." She winked at the lovebirds.

"You're welcome. It's nice to see you in person. Your father told Ashley and me all about you and your mother during the ultrasound appointment," Andros said warmly.

"He looked very proud of you two," Ashley added.

"He's always been that way," An-Mei admitted, smiling lightly. "We're planning to go to New York City for Christmas. We're going to see _The Lion King: The Broadway Musical._ Dad managed to get us tickets."

Ashley gasped cheerfully. "That is so cool. I've always wanted to visit New York City."

Andros held up a finger. "It reminds me of those commercials featuring Pace Picante sauce. The leading brand sauce featured is said to be made in New York City. Everyone freaks out when that is heard."

"I remember those commercials quite well. Mom talks about them all the time. She loves Pace Picante sauce," An-Mei commented, giggling.

"So does my mom," Ashley added.

"Oh, really?" An-Mei said in surprise.

"Yeah," Ashley said while nodding rapidly.

"It's cool to know that our mothers have something in common," An-Mei squeaked in delight. "By the way, you guys should know that you have my support. So does my mom."

"Thanks, An-Mei," Ashley whispered, a soft sniffle coming from her. "That means a lot coming from my obstetrician's daughter." She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Hey, you need all the support you can get. I really do believe you two will make wonderful parents to your twins," An-Mei said hopefully and licked her lips.

Ashley was about to say something else when the bell rang. She, Andros, and An-Mei looked at each other nervously. Students rushed past them in an effort to get to their classes.

"We'd better get to class now," An-Mei said.

"Thank God my teachers can excuse me if a bout of morning sickness hit me," Ashley whispered, her voice showing relief.

"It was nice talking to you," An-Mei said as she resumed walking left. She looked over her shoulder at the couple. "Thanks for helping me with Bianca."

"You're welcome," Ashley responded as An-Mei looked ahead. She gazed at her boyfriend. "We'd better get to Ms. Applebee's classroom."

"Yes, we should," Andros agreed. They walked right, putting their arms around each other. "I'm already liking An-Mei. She's a real sweet girl like Kai said. She is also quite beautiful."

"I wonder if we'll see her at the Surf Spot this afternoon," Ashley suggested, looking very curious.

"That'd be nice. It's the perfect place to study for tests and such," Andros said in a warm voice. "Of course, I do have to work this afternoon." He held up his hand as she opened her mouth. "Don't worry. I will ask Adelle about having extra days off for our Christmas getaway to your aunt's cabin."

"Thanks," Ashley answered, kissing his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," Andros responded, hugging her a little tighter. They continued going down the hallway.


	44. It's Not Simple Anymore

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and Zhane/Karone. According to research I've done, teen parents are known to be victims of bullying by their peers. This holds true for teen moms. That's why I show Andros and Ashley being bullied by some students and teachers. It adds realism to the entire situation. Teen parent support groups help young parents find support from each other. Having Andros and Ashley join one makes their situation all the more realistic. Stay tuned for chapter forty-five.

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Chapter 44: It's Not Simple Anymore

Ms. Applebee handed a stack of worksheets containing an assignment on the fall of the Roman Empire to the student sitting at the first desk in the first row in her classroom. She watched him lay one on his desk and hand it to the student behind him. She gave the stacks to each student in the first desk of the second and third rows. The students at those desks gave the worksheets to the ones behind them. She made her way to the first desk in the fourth row.

The door opened with a loud squeak. The students at the second desks in the second and third rows stopped what they were doing. They, their teacher, and the other students looked toward it to see Andros and Ashley walk in. Andros closed the door behind him. He and his girlfriend went to the front of their teacher's desk. Johnny chuckled, causing the couple to groan in irritation.

"Well, well, the teen parents finally arrived," Johnny leered.

"Don't start, Johnny. I'm not in the mood," Ashley snapped as she and her boyfriend looked toward him.

"Ooh. Having a mood swing, aren't you? What are you going to do, throw me out the window?" Johnny taunted.

"You need to leave her alone," Andros growled angrily and curled his hand into a fist.

"That's enough," Ms. Applebee said and looked toward Johnny. "Ashley doesn't need stress from you right now, Johnny. She's in a delicate condition."

"Of course, her condition is delicate, teach. She's carrying twins. That means twice the bratty behavior," Johnny shouted.

Some students laughed aloud. They became quiet when Ms. Applebee shushed them. She narrowed her eyes at Johnny.

"Without a doubt, you are one of the most loudmouthed students I have ever known, Johnny. Bulk and Skull were loudmouths, but they don't come close to you," Ms. Applebee hissed.

Johnny smirked. "I'm proud to be a bigger loudmouth."

"That's enough. Get to work before I lose my temper with you," Ms. Applebee warned. She inhaled deeply as Johnny shrugged. The students resumed handing the worksheets back as she approached Andros and Ashley. "You don't need to worry. You are excused for being late due to morning sickness."

Ashley nodded. "Thanks."

"You better be careful. Nobody wants a mess on the floor anywhere in this school," Johnny said with a scoff.

"It's not Ashley's fault if she can't get to the bathroom in time, Johnny," Ms. Applebee retorted, turning toward the boy. "You might as well get used to her morning sickness because it won't go away for another month or so." She snorted. "Now, get to work."

Johnny scoffed and reached into his backpack to get his pencil. Ms. Applebee turned back to Andros and Ashley as they took off their backpacks. They unzipped them to get out their schoolwork. They gave it to her, and she smiled at them.

Ms. Applebee handed Andros the worksheets before heading to her desk to sit down. The couple went to their desks and seated themselves. They set their backpacks on the floor. Andros put a worksheet on his desk and gave them to Ashley, who laid one on hers and passed the rest to the student behind her.

Andros and Ashley grabbed pencils from their backpacks. They were about to start working on their worksheets when chuckling caught their attention. They looked toward Johnny, who waved at them. They rolled their eyes before emitting small scoffs.

"What do you want, Johnny?" Ashley demanded.

"I just want to know how long you had to lean over the toilet while you were getting sick," Johnny said, a snicker coming out of his mouth.

"It's none of your business, jerk," Andros growled fiercely.

Johnny scoffed. "I'm not talking to you, Andros. I'm talking to the girl who broke my heart by getting pregnant with your children."

"I never broke your heart because we were never together," Ashley hissed, her grip getting so tight on her pencil that she appeared ready to break it in two. "Why don't you go find someone else to bother?"

"No, thank you. If your pregnancy had happened in the old days, you wouldn't even be here. You'd be in one of those unwed mothers' homes," Johnny said with a sharp nod.

Ashley exhaled sharply. "Thank God very few of those places exist now. Some were downright horrible to the mothers."

"Those mothers needed to be taught a lesson. They committed the ultimate sin of getting pregnant out of wedlock just like you did," Johnny commented maliciously.

"You have a lot of nerve talking about sinning when you do it all the time," Andros retorted.

"You better—" Johnny started.

"Andros, Ashley, Johnny, stop talking this instant," Ms. Applebee said, looking up from writing in her notebook. Andros, Ashley, and Johnny gazed at her. "Andros, Ashley, I know you two are expecting twins, but that doesn't mean I will give you special treatment. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Andros and Ashley answered honestly.

"Thanks for telling it like it is, teach," Johnny said with a smirk.

"Just because I did doesn't mean I'm not keeping an eye on you, Johnny," Ms. Applebee pointed out.

Johnny nodded while crossing his fingers behind his back. "Of course, ma'am."

"Good. Now, get back to work," Ms. Applebee said sternly.

Andros, Ashley, and Johnny focused on their worksheets. Ms. Applebee returned to writing in her notebook. Johnny laid his hand in his lap, as he looked both ways. He smiled mischievously. He reached into his backpack, pulling out a piece of paper. He laid it on his desk and started writing on it. He folded it once he was finished. He looked at the student on his right and tapped her shoulder. She looked at him. He was about to give her the paper when Ms. Applebee caught him.

"Johnny, is that a note you're trying to pass to Ashley?" Ms. Applebee demanded.

"N-N-No, teach," Johnny stammered nervously as the student resumed working on her worksheet.

Ms. Applebee stood up and approached him. "Don't lie to me. You tried to do this before. Now, give me the note." She held out her hand.

Johnny shook his head. "I don't think—"

"Now!" Ms. Applebee ordered. He gave her the paper. She opened it. "'Your crying brats will drive your boyfriend away. You'll be all alone. The only way you three will be able to survive is on welfare.' How dare you." She glared at him. "A trip to detention is in order."

"But—" Johnny started.

"Now!" Ms. Applebee interrupted sharply.

The teacher went back to her desk as the boy mumbled inaudible words. She tossed the paper in the trash. He grabbed his worksheet and pencil and slipped them into his backpack. He zipped it closed. He rose to his feet, picking it up and putting it over his back. He went to the desk as she wrote on a pink slip. He received it from her.

Andros and Ashley watched the troublemaker approach the door. They waved at him with big smirks on their faces as he opened it and headed into the hallway. They were relieved they wouldn't have to deal with him for the rest of the period. He closed it behind him. The couple returned to work.

00000

The cafeteria was somewhat crowded at noon. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone sat at the seventh table. The first two were in the fifth and sixth seats on the left. The last two were across from them. Zhane and Karone listened to Andros tell them about Johnny's antics in Ms. Applebee's class. They chuckled after he finished.

"I say Johnny should be given detention for life," Zhane commented, propping his head up with his elbow. "He seems to love it there."

"So do Brian, Bianca, and Tara. It's like making trouble is their motto," Karone added.

"Hey, what's a-motto with you?" Andros asked in Timon's voice and broke into raucous laughter.

"Nice imitation of Timon's voice, buddy," Zhane said, picking up a fry and pointing it at him.

Andros stopped laughing and showed much pride. "Well, I do love _The Lion King._ Timon is such great comic relief. So is Pumbaa."

"It's so funny that Pumbaa has a gas problem. He nearly said farted right in front of Simba during _Hakuna Matata,_ " Karone blurted out.

"Timon stopped him from saying that," Ashley responded, picking up her regular milk to sip it. She laid it down. "He said, 'Pumbaa, not in front of the kids!' Pumbaa replied, 'Oh, sorry.' Simba looked dumbfounded." She giggled.

"Why wouldn't Simba be dumbfounded? He didn't really understand the duo," Zhane said and popped the fry into his mouth. He chewed it quickly, swallowing with a loud gulp.

Karone pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Timon and Pumbaa weren't the only comic relief. The hyenas were too."

"I liked the names Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Ed is the only character to not have an African-sounding name," Zhane pointed out matter-of-factly. He grabbed his burger and took a small bite out of it. He proceeded to chew as he laid it down.

"I love Ed's laugh," Ashley said, smiling warmly. She imitated Ed's laugh. She grew quiet after ten seconds. "He looks and sounds crazy." She crossed her right ankle over her left.

Zhane swallowed with a loud gulp. "Ed was really funny when he tried to point out to Shenzi and Banzai that Simba, Nala, and Zazu had fled. He made babbling sounds as if he were a baby." He imitated Ed's babbling. "I can't get enough of that."

" _The Lion King_ isn't like most Disney movies. The main's character mother is usually dead. In Simba's case, his father dies partway into the movie," Andros whispered.

"For one second, I actually thought Scar was going to change his mind about killing Mufasa and help him up. Unfortunately, I was wrong when he said, 'Long live the king.' Then he let him go, sending him plummeting to his death," Ashley mumbled with a loud shudder. "Simba's realization that his father was dead was the saddest part of the movie." She sniffled.

"No kidding. I bawled like a baby at that scene," Karone whispered sadly. "What made it even worse was Scar convinced Simba he was responsible for his father's death. How could he be so callous?" She showed some anger.

"He's a narcissist, plain and simple," Ashley said very bluntly. "I say Johnny, Brian, Bianca, Tara, and Veronica are all budding narcissists. Though narcissism decreases drastically by the time people reach their thirties, I don't believe it will ever fade for those five." She cringed badly.

"I'd be surprised if they admitted they were narcissists. In fact, I think they'd be proud of it," Karone growled in disgust.

"Lashing out or dismissing criticism is one of the signs of narcissism. All of us and our friends have seen these five jerks do one or the other," Andros pointed out. He pulled a pepperoni off his pizza and put it in his mouth. He started to chew.

"It's nice we can flip them off when we aren't on school grounds. Some people may show outrage at it, but I don't care," Karone commented. "Johnny, Brian, Bianca, Tara, and Veronica all deserve to be given the bird." She looked at Zhane as Andros swallowed.

"Those five deserve to have middle fingers shoved up their butts too," Zhane added.

"Ditto," Karone agreed and kissed his cheek. She rubbed the same spot. "After that, we'll watch them get their butts kicked." She snickered.

"I'm all for that," Zhane said, putting his arm around her. "I love you."

"I love you too," Karone said as he planted a kiss to her forehead. "Nice forehead kiss."

Zhane growled playfully and kissed the same spot on her. He released his hold on her and gazed at Andros and Ashley.

"Put us down for watching those bullies have middle fingers shoved up their butts and getting kicked in them," Andros commented.

"Oh, yeah," Ashley agreed. She grabbed her fork and poked it into her salad, which was covered in mayo. She got a decent amount on it and placed it in her mouth. She chewed slowly but surely. She swallowed with a quiet gulp. "Mayo-covered salad tastes really good to me right now."

"I wonder what weird food combos you will crave next," Andros said as he turned to her. He touched her stomach.

"Whatever the babies want," Ashley answered truthfully and laid her hand over his. She looked at him. "We should be prepared to deal with the twins having ear infections. They are very common in childhood."

"That's true," Andros agreed. "That doesn't mean the twins will have them at the same time." He shrugged.

"Yep. I have no doubt we can find over-the-counter antibiotic eardrops for real cheap. Those helped to clear up my ear infections," Ashley commented.

"I am determined to help my children through theirs," Andros declared.

"So am I," Ashley responded. She felt him put his arm around her to give her a hug. "Those strong arms will be able to carry the babies." She giggled lightly.

"Yep," Andros whispered, giving her a kiss to her temple. He and his girlfriend looked at his best friend and sister.

"It's sick that some students have called your children brats," Karone hissed angrily and let out a loud scoff. She grabbed a chicken tender and bit into it. She chewed quickly and swallowed before laying it down. "The babies are not even here, yet people are already labeling them as brats." She hit her hand on the table in frustration.

"The real brats are the students calling the babies that," Zhane said in a blunt manner.

"You got that right," Karone agreed. "I'm willing to bet many of them have never had significant others." She gave a sharp nod.

"I wish you had acted as if you were going to go over and grab Johnny, so you could pretend to take him to the window and throw him out, Ash. He would've deserved it," Zhane joked.

"At least he's no longer pestering me for a date," Ashley said in relief. Andros removed his hand from hers and his arm from her shoulder. "Unfortunately, Andros and I don't expect him or anyone else to let up on their bullying of us." She looked as if she were about to vomit.

"Hey, don't worry. You're better than all those people combined," Zhane said honestly.

"That's the truth," Karone added proudly.

"Thanks," Andros and Ashley responded happily.

"You're welcome," Zhane and Karone said and laughed in delight. They grew quiet ten seconds later. All four of them started talking about the time Justin placed a whoopie cushion in TJ's chair.

00000

The cafeteria was less crowded twenty-two minutes later. Ashley, Zhane, and Karone laughed at Andros sweeping his hands underneath his armpits and making chittering sounds as if he were a chimpanzee. The young man curled them into fists and pretended to beat on the table. Everyone had finished his or her lunches and dumped his or her trash.

"Yeah. Beat on that table, Andros," Zhane encouraged.

"Break it in half," Ashley yelled, clapping three times.

"It's been mean to you," Karone commented, crossing her arms.

"Sure thing," Andros said and hit the table with his fists six times. He made the sound of it breaking in half. "There. I've broken it in half."

"Nice job," the others called and laughed joyfully.

Andros smiled very proudly. He uncurled his hands and laid them on the table. He tapped his fingers on it. Karone uncrossed her arms.

"It'll be fun teaching the kids how to pretend to be animals, imitate auto engines, etc.," Andros said, warmth echoing from his voice.

Ashley wrapped her arm around his. "No denying that. I can't wait for them to do stuff for me on Mother's Day." She laid her head on his shoulder.

Andros touched her hand. "The same goes for me on Father's Day. I do wonder who the children will look like."

"Maybe they will look like one of you," Zhane said thoughtfully.

"Or both of you," Karone said with a shrug.

"How about Andros and Ashley give those babies up for adoption instead?" a male voice said snobbishly.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone looked at fifty-year-old Herbert walking toward the former two. He gave Andros and Ashley a disapproving look as he stopped beside her. Being Asian, he was rather pale and was short for a man. He was heavyset and had absolutely no hair on his head. His face had so many wrinkles that someone could draw a map on it. His eyes were light green. He straightened his red tie.

"Well, it's nice to see Angel Grove's newest teen parents," Herbert said sarcastically.

"What brings you here, Mr. Richards?" Ashley asked.

"I just happened to be checking on students when you four started talking about the twins. You and Andros shouldn't be here, Ashley. You should be in an alternative school," Herbert leered, shaking his finger at the couple.

"You may think we belong in an alternative school, but we don't agree with you," Andros said in determination. "We have every right to be among our peers." He snorted.

"It is a good place for students who feel uncomfortable being here due to bullies. Despite the bullying we've received, we're not afraid of it," Ashley added.

"It's only because of the teen parent program that you get to stay here. It needs to be thrown out. It gives you and your fellow teen parents special treatment at the expense of other students. You make the school look bad," Herbert growled, flaring his nostrils.

"The only ones making the school look bad are the bullies and troublemakers," Zhane said angrily.

"Leo told me Mike didn't like having you as his physical science teacher. I can see why," Andros said, bluntness lining his voice. "You're not a very pleasant man."

"Mike Corbett," Herbert commented, rolling his eyes. "That boy was a handful. He had a big mouth." He shook his head in disbelief. "I had to send him to detention several times."

"Leo said it was because Bulk and Skull kept making him yell out," Andros retorted, a scoff leaving his mouth.

"It doesn't matter. I disciplined him. I did the same to Bulk and Skull. At least I don't have to deal with those three anymore," Herbert sneered. "Anyway, if I were principal of this school, I would never have started the teen parent program. I would've continued to follow school policy of sending teen parents to alternative schools."

"That's too bad because this school is never following that policy again," Mr. Kaplan said, walking up to the teacher. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, and Herbert glanced at him. "In my view, it was wrong to punish the teens for becoming parents. They have a right to graduate with their peers. Pregnancy isn't a disease and shouldn't be hidden."

"Pregnancy should be hidden. That was how it was done back in the old days by putting teen moms in those unwed mothers' homes. It's embarrassing to see them with their bulging bellies and hear them talk about their babies. Today's teens have no respect for themselves, especially the girls. They'll sleep with any guy, no matter how unattractive he is," Herbert hissed rudely.

"If the old days were so great, then how come the 1950s and 1960s had the highest rates of teen pregnancy?" Mr. Kaplan asked in seriousness. "The reason is it was normal that teens marry and have children." He let out a sharp exhale.

"The country's teen pregnancy rate is in decline due to comprehensive sex education. This school used to have ten to fifteen pregnancies a year. Now, it has only three or four," Karone commented.

"Sex education only encourages teens to have sex. Preaching abstinence is the best way to stop teen pregnancy. Sex is should only be within the bounds of marriage," Herbert said.

"You are such a hypocrite for saying that. You cheated on Leslie with a young woman named Remy Lyman while you were married to her," Andros pointed out.

"She was right to divorce you," Zhane added matter-of-factly. "You didn't respect your marriage. Remy dumped you after she learned you were married. You got double the karma."

"I've never been married, but I wouldn't have blamed my wife if she had divorced me due to infidelity. I would've deserved it. You deserved to lose Leslie and Remy. That's the cold, hard truth," Mr. Kaplan said.

Herbert snorted and walked toward the door leading outside. He went through it. Mr. Kaplan and his students looked at each other.

"What a sourpuss," Ashley said with a roll of her eyes.

Mr. Kaplan gave a sharp nod. "You got that right, Ashley. The only reason why I put up with him is that he is a good teacher. Most students do well in his classes."

"At least we won't have to deal with him anymore in five months," Karone whispered, her voice filled with relief.

Zhane yawned. "Oh, yeah."

"Of course," Mr. Kaplan said. He looked up when the bell rang. He turned back to the others. "Your four better get back to your classes."

"Sure, sir," Karone answered.

Mr. Kaplan turned around and walked away. The students rose to their feet and started leaving the cafeteria. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone got their backpacks to put them over their shoulders. They managed to get through the crowd. Andros and Karone walked left while Zhane and Ashley went right.


	45. Dealing With Loudmouthed Jerks

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. It's looking likely the veteran Rangers will appear in the next chapter or the one after that. One of the troublemakers will be getting a dose of karma very soon, but I won't say who. Stay tuned for chapter forty-six.

XXXXX

Chapter 45: Dealing With Loudmouthed Jerks

In the early afternoon, Rueben was writing on his classroom's whiteboard while speaking about biomusic. The students copied his notes. Andros erased a word he had written and wrote down another. Ashley mimicked both of his actions. She moved her shoulders with a grimace. Zhane and Karone jotted down a few words.

Rueben finished writing and laid his marker down. He clicked his tongue twice and turned around to face everyone. He came next to the desk and picked up a cassette case. He moved it from side to side, watching the students focus their attention on it.

"This cassette has biomusic on it. I taped tracks from various CDs I own on it," he said. "We are going to listen to it."

Rueben took the tape out of its case and put it in his boom box's taper player. After he turned it on and upped the volume a bit, the sounds of waves and dolphins clicking came from the speakers, followed by vocals. The mixture of nature sounds and vocals mesmerized Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, and many other students. Brian and the rest weren't impressed one bit.

"Everyone, close your eyes and take deep breaths," Rueben instructed.

Most of the students, including Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone, closed their eyes without hesitation. Brian and the rest reluctantly did so. Everyone took three deep breaths as piano started to play.

"As you listen to this music, imagine that you're underwater swimming with the dolphins," Rueben whispered, turning his hands downward.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone moved their heads upward slightly. So did some of the other students with theirs. Brian and the rest tilted theirs downward. More waves could be heard over the speakers.

"Can anyone see themselves swimming with the dolphins?" Rueben asked.

Andros smiled. "I can."

"Me too," Ashley said with a giggle. "I feel free like a dolphin."

Zhane took a deep breath. "I see myself jumping through the waves with dolphins."

"I just saw one do a backflip beside me," Karone squeaked.

"I can't really see myself with the dolphins," Brian said, a loud sigh escaping his lips.

"It's all right if you can't, Brian," Rueben said and stopped the tape. All the students opened their eyes.

"I'll tell you this. I am not fond of dolphins. Nor will I ever be," Brian said bluntly.

"Nobody will force you to," Rueben responded. "Just remember that dolphins may help you if you find yourself being attacked by a shark."

Rueben took the tape out of the player. He put it back in its case as Ashley leaned close to Andros.

"How can Brian not be fond of dolphins?" Ashley asked quietly. "They're amazing animals, especially since they are so intelligent." She let out an annoyed scoff.

"Don't worry about Brian," Andros said, peering over his shoulder at her. "He'll like whatever animals he wants to like. After all, difference of opinion is very healthy."

"I can see that, but—" Ashley started.

"Ashley, do you and Andros want to share something with the class?" Rueben asked, laying the tape aside. The couple looked at him.

"No, sir," Ashley answered, shaking her head.

"Good. Please, don't do that again," Rueben said, crossing his arms. "You two may be expecting twins, but you won't receive special treatment from me."

"That's telling them, Mr. Williams," Brian said proudly.

"I might have, Brian, but that doesn't mean I don't have my eye on you," Rueben said seriously as he turned toward the troublemaker.

"I know," Brian commented with a big smile on his face. "Then again, you can always wear glasses to keep a better eye on me."

Several students snickered. They grew quiet when Rueben shushed them sternly. He sat on his desk and crossed his left ankle over his right.

"Recorded whale songs frequently inspired 20th century experimental music. One example is in George Crumb's _Vox Balaenae_ , also known as _Voice of the Whale._ It was a composition for electric flute, electric cello, and amplified piano. However, it does not include actual recorded whale songs. As a result, it is not a pure biomusic composition," Rueben commented.

Brian scoffed. "It sounds rather dumb to have whale in the English version of that piece's title when it doesn't even contain any whale songs." He rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't sound dumb to me," Karone said, gazing at the boy along with Zhane.

"Nor does it to me," Zhane added.

"Okay, okay," Rueben said, holding up his hand. The three students looked ahead as he laid it in his lap. "Another similar piece that could be considered true biomusic is _And God Created Great Whales_. It was written in 1970 by American composer Alan Hovhaness. This work for orchestra and whale songs brought the recorded sounds of humpback whales, bowhead whales, and killer whales directly into the concert hall."

"Killer whales are actually dolphins. They got their name because sailors saw them hunting whales. They are also known as orcas," Brian said, a chuckle leaving his mouth.

Rueben scratched the back of his neck. "What you said about killer whales is true, Brian, but we won't be talking about them anymore."

"Hey, I was just—" Brian said.

"I said we aren't talking about them anymore," Rueben interrupted in a stern voice.

Brian held up his hands in surrender. Andros and Ashley snickered, but they became quiet when Rueben cleared his throat. Brian laid them on his desk. Rueben folded his hands and laid them in his lap.

"In 1975, Grateful Dead associate Ned Lagin released an album of experimental space music entitled _Seastones_ on Round Records. He called the recording as 'cybernetic biomusic.' This emphasized the use of computers and synthesizers to create organic-impressionistic sounds and meditative feelings. The album was one of the first commercially released recordings to feature digital computers and the Buchla digital-polyphonic synthesizer," Rueben said.

"Wow," Zhane said in awe.

Karone giggled and propped her head up with her elbow. "Definitely wow."

"With computers advancing all the time, how much more of a part will they play in music?" Ashley asked curiously.

"Only time will tell, Ashley," Rueben answered honestly. He jumped off the desk and went to the whiteboard. He picked up his marker to write on it. "Biomusic can take many other forms. These can include the simple amplification of animal sounds, or the creation of music through the fluctuation of electric current in plants. More unusual still is the use of animal notation. This is a music score created by animals, often in the form of paw prints. Biomusic can also take the form of animals trained to perform specific behaviors as part of a musical performance."

Brian shook his head in disbelief. "Why would anyone train animals to do behaviors in a musical performance? It sounds weird." He snorted.

"Perhaps people want to make them more fun, Brian," Rueben said and cleared his throat. " _Music from The Body_ is the biomusic soundtrack album to Roy Battersby's 1970 documentary film _The Body._ This film is about human biology, narrated by Vanessa Redgrave and Frank Finlay. The music was composed and performed in collaboration between Pink Floyd member Roger Waters and Ron Geesin, and uses sounds made by the human body in addition to more traditional guitar, piano, and stringed instruments. The experimental group…"

As the teacher continued talking, Ashley started to feel queasy and grabbed her stomach. She tapped Andros's shoulder, and he gazed over it at her.

"Are you about to get sick, Ash?" Andros asked in confusion.

"Yes," Ashley answered with a nod. "I don't know if I am going to make it."

"You better get her to the bathroom, Andros," Rueben said, walking up to the couple as they turned to him.

"Thank you, sir," Andros said and stood up. He went over to Ashley and helped her to her feet. "Let's go, baby."

Andros led Ashley toward the door slowly but surely as she began to whimper. Brian laughed, getting his teacher's attention.

"Boy, those two are moving rather slow!" Brian blurted out.

Zhane glared at him along with Karone. "I bet you'll leave quickly when you get detention."

"Yeah," Karone agreed.

Brian shook his head rapidly. "Nope. That's not happening."

"That's enough," Rueben said seriously. The three students looked forward. He returned to the whiteboard and resumed writing on it. The class wrote down his notes as Andros and Ashley exited the classroom.

00000

Lenny walked around his classroom. His students were painting clay sculptures of various objects they had made. He went behind those in the last row. Each student looked at him. They got a nod of approval from him as he examined their sculptures and spoke about them. He approached Justin and Cassie. He gazed at their sculptures in which his was a hammerhead shark and hers an orca. He nodded approvingly before smiling at them.

"You two are doing a very nice job on your sculptures," Lenny complimented.

"Thanks, Mr. Wyatt," Justin and Cassie replied warmly.

Lenny put his hands behind his back. "You're welcome."

"It's pretty cool how we can mold clay into so many different shapes," Cassie commented, running her paintbrush along the orca's back.

"I know. The first shape I ever made from clay was a circle," Lenny said, digging the heel of his black boot into the floor.

"That was the first shape I made from clay too," Justin said with a small laugh.

"It's not every day teachers learn they have something in common with their students," Cassie added eagerly.

"That is true, Cassie," Lenny agreed and brought his hands in front of him. "Anyway, not all sculptures are made from clay. Some are made from marble." He scratched his nose.

Cassie smiled lightly. "Michelangelo's _David_ is one such marble sculpture." She dipped her paintbrush into the black paint.

"I am waiting for someone to put pants on him because they didn't want to see his you-know-what," Justin said, letting out a small snicker.

"You can go on and say privates, Justin. I won't be offended," Lenny commented. "If someone else is, don't pay them any mind."

"Okay, sir. I am waiting for someone to put pants on that sculpture because they didn't want to see his privates," Justin said with great pride.

"That's the spirit," Lenny answered with a wink. "Keep up the good work, you two."

Lenny walked away. Justin and Cassie shifted their attention back to their sculptures. He dipped his paintbrush in the gray paint. He ran it along the shark's back. She gazed at its hammer-shaped head.

"That shark's head looks really cool and weird," she said.

"I know," he agreed. "I'd love to see this shark actually hammer nails with the ends of its head." He snorted. "Then again, it's likely it'd get a headache."

"Oh, yeah. Its head does increase its range of vision. You need that for the big, bad ocean," Cassie said truthfully.

"No kidding. The ocean can get so murky that you can't see your hand in front of your face. That's not a good time to go swimming because sharks can mistake you for food," Justin muttered fearfully.

Cassie touched her neck. "If you ever get bitten by a shark, you should fight with everything you have." She moved it with a grimace before laying her hand on the table. "You should aim for the eyes and gills. They are the most sensitive parts of a shark."

Justin raised his eyebrows. "I've read about that."

"That's good," Cassie commented and got more black paint. She dabbed it near the orca's tail. Justin glanced at its curved dorsal.

"It's incredible that a male orca's dorsal can grow up to six feet tall," Justin whispered in much amazement.

"Tall dorsals are very majestic. It's believed dorsals regulate heat," Cassie explained.

"Julius's dorsal may be completely flopped over, but it doesn't affect his health or his ability to do anything," Justin pointed out.

She chuckled lightly. "The largest orcas can weight over twenty thousand pounds."

He nodded in agreement. "I know. They can hunt the blue whale, the largest animal in the world."

"Orcas have attacked people both in the wild and in captivity," a female voice said.

Justin and Cassie looked over their shoulders at Bianca, who waved at them. They rolled their eyes and emitted irritated sighs.

"You need to mind your own business, Bianca," Cassie hissed.

"We weren't talking to you," Justin growled in some anger.

"I don't care if you weren't talking to me. I will butt in if I want to," Bianca retorted and waved her paintbrush in the air as if she were painting a mustache on Cassie. "Like I said two months ago, you'd look good with a mustache, Cassie." She pretended to paint glasses on her. "How about I add some glasses too?"

Cassie scoffed. "You'd look better with both."

"How about I draw a map on your face?" Justin added. "You'd look good with that too."

"Only if you'll let me draw a map on yours," Bianca responded, snickering under her breath. "By the way, I hope Ashley hasn't thrown up all over the floor anywhere. No one needs to slip on her vomit."

"Ashley can't help it if she can't reach a bathroom in time. On top of that, morning sickness is very tricky. It can strike anywhere and at any time," Cassie explained.

"If she were experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum, she wouldn't even be here. She'd be at home," Justin said, curling his hand into a fist. "The teen parent program would excuse her for that." He clenched his teeth.

Bianca let out a small scoff. "She and Andros are lucky because of that. They wouldn't be if the school were still following the old policy of sending teen parents to alternative schools." She gave a sharp nod.

"You may think Andros and Ashley belong in an alternative school, but that doesn't mean we have to, Bianca," a male voice commented seriously.

Bianca growled angrily and glared at TJ and Carlos. She narrowed her eyes at them. Both boys looked at each other for a second before turning back to her.

"Why don't you butt out, Carlos? I was talking to those two," Bianca hissed, motioning toward Justin and Cassie.

"You shouldn't have butted in on our friends' conversation," Carlos snapped.

"You're a hypocrite as usual," TJ added.

"Hey, hypocrisy is a normal part of life. You might as well deal with it," Bianca sneered and flared her nostrils.

"Many people become hypocrites through no fault of their own. They had morals, but they pushed them aside without realizing it," Carlos commented with a roll of his eyes. "On the other hand, you're an intentional hypocrite. That's not good at all." He scoffed.

TJ clicked his tongue three times. "What you need is a good smack to the head, so you can get a huge dose of reality. Then again, it probably wouldn't help at all."

"Oh, be quiet," Bianca hissed in fierceness.

"You're the one who needs to be quiet, Bianca," Lenny said, walking up to his student, who looked at him.

"Sir," Bianca commented with a small laugh. "I didn't mean—"

"Sure, you didn't," Lenny interrupted with much sarcasm. "I swear, your mouth gets bigger every time you open it."

Carlos smirked. "I bet it's now big enough to fit the moon."

The other students broke into a fit of laughter. Bianca glared at Carlos with a loud snort. The students quieted down when Lenny shushed them. He crossed his arms as she turned to him.

"Bianca, leave these four people alone. They're already dealing with a lot regarding Ashley's pregnancy," Lenny warned.

"Sir, I—" Bianca started.

He sighed heavily. "Just do it, okay? I don't want to hear anything else from you."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

Bianca gazed at her sculpture of a table as her teacher walked away. She dipped her paintbrush in green paint and slid it across the top. Justin and Cassie turned toward their sculptures. TJ and Carlos glanced at each other.

"This is one of those times I wish Ashley was in our class. I honestly believe Bianca would be scared of her if she were having a bad mood swing," Carlos commented.

"I agree," TJ said while nodding. "We know to stay out of Ashley's way when she has a bad mood swing." He chuckled nervously.

"You said it," Carlos agreed and exhaled sharply. "At least Andros will have some time to relax before he starts his shift at the Surf Spot."

"Thank God for the Surf Spot being just an eight-minute walk from here," TJ whispered in relief.

"Yeah," Carlos responded. "Let's get back to painting our sculptures."

TJ and Carlos gazed at their sculptures. The former's was a box while the latter's was a ball. They dipped their paintbrushes into brown paint and slid them across their sides.


	46. Out of Dodge

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-six of "Not Here." I am glad it took just five days to get out. I made changes to chapter forty-four and forty-five regarding the scenes where Johnny, Brian, and Bianca cause trouble. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, and TJ/Cassie. It's looking very likely that the veteran Rangers who have appeared so far will be in the next one. Stay tuned for chapter forty-seven.

XXXXX

Chapter 46: Out of Dodge

The bell rang nineteen minutes later. Students began to come out of the classrooms. Many headed to their lockers. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone turned left after they exited Rueben's classroom. They went down the hallway toward the stairs. They heard students chatting excitedly. They looked at each other, raising their eyebrows.

"It's obvious people are happy about today being over," Ashley said, scratching her throat.

"I don't blame them. Everyone knows Mondays are the worst when it comes to everyday life," Andros said, sighing heavily. "It is so difficult for people to drag themselves out of bed after spending the weekend resting."

Zhane hissed irritatingly. "I really wanted to smash the alarm clock when it started ringing." He hit himself in the forehead. "I didn't want to get out of bed at all. Carlos felt the same way."

"But you and Carlos are here. You both managed to get through the day. So did everyone else," Karone commented, touching his shoulder.

"Mm-hmm," Zhane agreed. "It was fun hearing Mr. Williams tell Brian to put a sock in it when he attempted to goad me into an argument during the class lecture." He snickered.

Karone smirked. "It would've fun to actually see our teacher put a sock in that bigmouth's mouth."

"Of course, Brian's hands would have to be tied behind his back to keep him from removing it," Zhane pointed out.

"It'd be so cool to watch him struggle to get free as well as mumble," Karone said and mumbled inaudible words. She laughed at him ruffling her hair. She imitated him with his.

"What would you think of me shaving my hair off?" Zhane asked.

"You'd look good without much hair," Karone said honestly. "Then again, you look just fine right now."

Zhane winked at her. "Thanks."

Karone kissed Zhane's cheek and patted it very gently. They put their arms around each other before clicking their tongues three times.

"I can't believe our Christmas trip to your aunt's cabin is just twelve days away," Andros said as he turned to Ashley with a loving smile.

"Me neither," Ashley responded as she looked up at him. "It's going to be so romantic. I'm glad we can still engage in sexual activity." She laid her hand on her stomach. "In fact, I think being pregnant will make the sex even better."

"Not once did I think we'd learn we conceived our twins during our first time," Andros whispered with a small sniffle. "It feels so unreal."

"It does, but it did happen," Ashley responded gently. "I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world." She kissed his cheek.

"Nor would I," Andros commented truthfully and slipped his arm around her shoulder. He felt her put hers around his waist. "I hope Adelle will be okay with me being away from work for a few extra days." He looked somewhat nervous.

"I honestly believe she will be okay with it," Ashley said softly yet firmly. "If that makes other new employees unhappy, who cares? It's her decision. That's it."

Andros laid his hand over his girlfriend's. They shared a sweet kiss before rubbing noses. Brian passed the quartet as they rounded the corner. He proceeded to sing Mariah Carey's _Hero_ way off-key and upped his pace. Andros rolled his eyes.

"When will that dummy learn to stop singing?" Andros hissed in bitterness.

"On top of that, you never attempt to sing any song by Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, or Celine Dion. Their voices can't be matched by anyone," Ashley added bluntly.

"Do you remember when Veronica attempted to sing Celine Dion's _The Power of Love_ when the four of us were hanging out at the Surf Spot one afternoon this past summer?" Karone wondered.

Zhane groaned frustratingly. "Oh, do I ever. She sounded like two dogs fighting over a bone."

"Adelle told her to stop because she was hurting everyone's ears. Veronica said they just didn't appreciate her 'wonderful' voice. She flipped her off and left the Surf Spot. She bumped into two men as they came in without excusing herself," Ashley grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"I wanted to go after her and slap her," Karone admitted.

"Me too," Ashley agreed. She felt Andros take his hand away from hers. "Of course, we're better than she is."

Andros hugged his girlfriend. "She should watch out when you have a bad mood swing." He smirked. "You can get as mad as hell."

"Yes, I can," Ashley said, a giggle escaping her lips.

The quartet walked down the stairs. They found TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin waiting by the trashcan when they reached the bottom.

"Hey, guys," Zhane greeted.

"Hey yourselves," Carlos replied with a small smile. "How are you four doing?"

"We had to deal with Brian's obnoxiousness during music class again. Andros took Ashley to the bathroom because she started to feel sick. Besides those two things, we're doing great," Karone said, shrugging.

"We had to deal with Bianca's big mouth once again," TJ grumbled, emitting an annoyed scoff. "Other than that, we're doing great too." He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

"I'm so glad school is over with for today," Justin whispered in relief.

"That's right, Justin," Cassie commented. "With the exception of Andros, we can do whatever we want for the rest of the day."

"I have an idea. Why don't we go to the Surf Spot? Since it doesn't take long to get there, all eight of us will have time to hang out together before Andros's shift starts," Ashley suggested.

Andros smiled. "I like that idea, Ash. I could ask Adelle about having three extra days off, so we can have our Christmas cabin getaway." He gave her a small hug.

"I brought my ultrasound pictures with me, so she can see the twins on them," Ashley squeaked happily.

TJ gave Andros and Ashley a serious look. "I have a feeling Adelle will be shocked when she learns about the twins."

"They know that, Teej," Cassie scolded, slapping him in the shoulder. "You don't need to remind them."

"Hey, I can't help it. It's just natural to remind them," TJ said, holding up his hands.

"All right, that's enough," Carlos said, exhaling sharply as TJ lowered his hands. "Let's go to the Surf Spot before it closes."

The teens walked down the hallway. They started talking about their upcoming Christmas Break.

00000

At the Surf Spot ten minutes later, Adelle moved the mustard, ketchup, and napkin holder off to the side on the table below the one in front of the bar. She wiped it off with a damp rag, followed by drying it off with a paper towel. Two young women waved to her as they went out the exit. She responded with a wave of her own.

She moved the mustard, ketchup, and napkin holder to the middle of the table. She let out a satisfied sigh. She thought about Andros and Ashley. She wondered how the ultrasound went. She hoped the pregnancy was going well. Though she was looking forward to see how it progressed, she knew she would never get used to Ashley's weird food cravings, mood swings, and running for the bathroom when she felt nauseous.

Her thoughts drifted to Andros. She was happy to have him working for her. She didn't he'd catch on to her instructions so quickly, but she was grateful that he did. However, that didn't mean she'd let him wear himself out by doing a lot in a short amount of time. After all, slow and steady got the job done right in her eyes.

She went to the kitchen and tossed the rag towel in the sink. She took the paper towel to the bar to throw it in the trashcan. She stretched her arms above her head. She lowered them before taking a deep breath. She spotted Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin coming her way. A big smile formed on her face.

"Well, if it isn't the eight Musketeers," Adelle joked.

"Hey, Adelle," Andros greeted. He, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, and Cassie sat on the stools. TJ went to Cassie's side. Carlos and Justin stopped behind Zhane and Karone respectively. All of them set their backpacks on the floor. "What have you been up to?"

"I'm just keeping this place clean," Adelle answered. "It seems when I clean up one dirty spot, I find another one nearby." She blew a raspberry, making the teens laugh.

Ashley tightened her ponytail somewhat. "Well, the Surf Spot is lucky to have you as its owner. You do such a great job running it."

"A business is only as good as its workers are," Adelle commented, motioning toward Andros. "So, how did school go today?"

"It went very well, despite the usual trouble from the troublemakers. Mr. Richards also got on Andros and Ashley's case for being teen parents at lunch," Zhane explained.

Karone hissed angrily. "I really wanted to smack him for that."

"At least Mr. Kaplan put him in his place," Zhane said in relief. "That school would be lost without him."

"You're right, Zhane. The next principal had better be as good as he is," TJ said seriously. "It doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman."

Adelle nodded in agreement. Throughout her school years, she saw principals come and go. Many she knew were very nice. Some were mean while the rest were just all right. She focused her attention on Andros and Ashley.

"As for you two, how did Friday's ultrasound go?" Adelle asked curiously.

"Well, the ultrasound went very well. Kai determined that I was exactly seven weeks along. I'm due July 22," Ashley explained as Andros slipped his arm around her shoulder.

Adelle laughed warmly. "It's great that you won't have to worry about giving birth during the school year."

Ashley squeaked in delight. "I know. I can't wait for it. Who knows? I just might give birth on the beach."

"Now, that would be interesting to see," Carlos commented.

The teens and the businesswoman shared a laugh. Andros and Ashley looked at each other for a moment before they turned back to Adelle. Seriousness showed on their faces.

"Adelle, there's something else we need to tell you about the pregnancy," Andros said, licking her lips.

"What do you mean?" Adelle asked confusingly.

"Well, you see. We are—uh," Ashley stammered and laughed nervously. "We are—"

"Ashley and I are having twins," Andros said swiftly.

Adelle let out a quiet yet shock gasp. She thought Andros and Ashley were joking, but she realized quickly they weren't. Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin didn't react, though they knew she'd react this way. Suddenly, a warm expression formed on her face.

"I want to congratulate you two. You have not one but two little miracles to love and cherish," Adelle said happily and unfolded her hands.

"That's true. You can imagine the shock on our faces when we learned we were having twins. It felt so unreal. It still does," Andros commented, hugging Ashley.

"Yep," Ashley agreed, laying her head on his shoulder.

Cassie propped her head up with her elbow. "The news shocked the rest of us and our families. One thing is clear. Andros and Ashley will give it their all when it comes to raising their children." She smiled.

"Ashley emailed us ultrasound pictures of the babies," Justin said with a small chuckle. "They were so neat to look at."

Carlos pinched his index fingers and thumbs nearly closed. "Those babies were so tiny." He put his hands at his sides. "It makes me wonder who they will look like."

"I brought some of the ultrasound pictures with me, Adelle. Would you like to see them?" Ashley asked.

"Would I ever," Adelle answered very eagerly.

"Great," Ashley said and rubbed her hands together. "I have to get off the stool, though. Kai said I shouldn't bend over because it could harm the babies."

"I don't mind if I have to wait a minute or two," Adelle commented sweetly.

Ashley climbed off the stool. She squatted down and unzipped her backpack. She pulled out the ultrasound pictures. She zipped it closed and got back on the stool. She handed them to her friend. Adelle looked at the first picture. She chuckled in a warm manner.

"I can see the twins very clearly in this one," Adelle said delightfully and put the picture behind the second one. She tilted her head. "They're not quite as clear in this one."

"The good news is both of them are growing normally. I have to have an ultrasound every month of my pregnancy," Ashley pointed out.

"I don't blame Kai for doing that, especially since you're only eighteen years old," Adelle said. "Carrying multiple babies is harder on teen moms than it is on older moms."

"Andros and Ashley will likely faint more often due to changing twice as many smelly diapers," TJ said, a snicker coming out of his mouth. Cassie looked at him.

"I'd like to see you faint while you change a smelly diaper," Cassie said and flicked his chin. She felt him push her hand down.

"Only if you faint while you help me," TJ said, winking at her.

"You wish," Cassie commented, sticking her tongue out at him. Adelle looked toward her.

"If you don't put that thing away, Cassie, I'll tie it around your head," Adelle joked as she put the picture behind the first one. "You don't want that, do you?"

Cassie pulled her tongue back into her mouth as she turned to Adelle. TJ stifled a snicker, getting an elbow to the side from her. Adelle shifted her attention back to the third picture. She raised her eyebrows.

"Now, this is the clearest picture of the twins I've seen so far," Adelle commented delightfully. "I'm sure Kai will take more pictures at your next ultrasound."

"Oh, we're planning on asking him. By the way, the next appointment is January 13. It's at one o'clock this time," Ashley said, tapping her finger on the counter three times.

"We plan to let Mr. Freeman know about it tomorrow," Andros added. He let go of his girlfriend. "There's something I need to ask you."

Adelle gazed at him. "What is it?"

Andros tensed somewhat. He prayed she didn't get angry. "Well, you know about my and Ashley's planned Christmas trip to her aunt's cabin. Would you be okay with me having three extra days off starting the second day after Christmas? We need to get away from the people who have been bullying us since the word got out about the pregnancy."

Adelle looked away. On one hand, she felt it was too soon for Andros to ask for time off. On the other hand, she understood that he and Ashley should get some peace and quiet after all that had happened. She focused her attention on him, a smile crossing her lips.

"Yes, you may have those days off, Andros," Adelle announced.

Andros sighed in great relief. "Thank you. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the other new employees might think you're giving me special treatment since you're my friend and all."

Adelle scoffed. "That is not true, Andros. You and Ashley had this trip planned before you even learned you were to be parents. You deserve to have it. Besides, you need to have as much peace and quiet as you can before the babies are born. You'll probably be dealing with more chaos than what is usual for first-time parents."

Ashley touched her stomach and rubbed it. "We know. Andros is coming with my mom and me to the mall this Saturday. We're going to get baby books after she gets me maternity clothes."

"It's good that you both are preparing ahead of time," Adelle replied.

"Of course, everyone knows you don't know what to expect with a baby," Carlos said, running his tongue over his teeth. "Their babies could turn out to be very easygoing, very difficult, or somewhere in between."

"So true," Justin agreed. "After all, no two babies are alike, not even multiples."

The others voiced their agreement. Adelle turned back to the picture and put it behind the others. She spoke inaudible words about the fourth picture as two teen girls exited.


	47. Not Far From Here

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I can't believe I have over three hundred reviews now. I want to thank Alex B Goode for being the three hundreth reviewer. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, TommyOliverMMPRFan, Tasha Hill, brankel1, katxox, and Ms. Catherine Willmon 2016 for being coutinuous reviwers. Your support means the world to me. The veteran Rangers finally return for another appearance. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, TJ/Cassie, Tommy/Kat, Jason/Emily, Rocky/Aisha, and Adam/Tanya. Stay tuned for chapter forty-eight.

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Chapter 47: Not Far From Here

The Surf Spot was a little more crowded more than two hours later. A middle-aged man sitting at the table in front of the bar told Andros what he wanted. Andros wrote it down and walked toward the kitchen. Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin sat at two tables pushed together. The first three were at the first table while the last two were at the second. They were chatting about the twins. TJ and Cassie played arcade soccer. The score was tied at two apiece. The gang's backpacks were under their tables.

"I'm going to beat you, TJ!" Cassie blurted out and laughed heartily. "You can count on it!"

"I don't think so, Cassie!" TJ replied, determination lining his face. He set the ball up and kick it at the net. She leapt for it, but she missed it. The ball hit the back of the net as the buzzer rang out. He balled his hand into a fist and pumped it. "Yeah. The Teejster is victorious again!"

"Nice game," Cassie said and high-fived him as they turned to each other.

"Oh, yeah," TJ agreed. "Next time, let's do _Primal Rage_ at your house."

"Okay. I will tear you to pieces as Talon," she said with a giggle.

"Oh, I'm really scared," he said sarcastically. She slapped him upside the head. He took one of her pigtails and tickled her cheek with it. He felt her swat his hand away and received a pinch on the cheek from her. He tapped her nose, getting a smile from her. "You have such a beautiful smile."

She squealed happily. "Thanks. You have a handsome smile. I shouldn't use beautiful to describe you because that's for girls."

He gave a sharp nod. "That's true. Don't ever lose that wonderful smile of yours."

"Don't you lose your wonderful smile either," Cassie commented, poking his shoulder with her finger.

"Of course not," TJ said, running his hand over his face. She flicked his chin twice. "Let's head over to the gang. What do you say?"

Cassie pressed her lips together. "Sure."

TJ and Cassie walked over to their friends. They heard Ashley talk about dressing the twins in onesies as they stopped next to Carlos.

"You guys can't stop talking about the twins, can you?" Cassie asked.

"Nope," Ashley answered honestly as she and the others looked at the duo.

"It's better than talking about schoolwork," Justin pointed out and rolled his eyes. "I hate mentioning anything about that." He curled his hand into a fist and pressed it to his temple.

"That's right, Justin. Punch yourself out," TJ quipped and started laughing aloud.

"How about I punch you out?" Justin suggested, bringing his fist in front of him. A big smirk formed on his face.

"No, thanks. I'd rather go jump off the roof and see if I can fly," TJ responded and acted as if he were leaving.

"Yeah. It'd be cool to see you looking like a flat pancake on the pavement," Zhane joked.

"Anyway, I was thinking the twins could wear socks that look similar to the colors of the onesies," Ashley said, cupping her chin in her hand.

"That'd be nice," Cassie said as she and TJ sat beside Carlos. "How about little hats with similar colors too?"

"That's a good idea, Cass," TJ agreed. "If the twins are fraternal, no one will have trouble telling them apart."

"There is always a chance they will be identical. It's too bad an ultrasound can't determine if they are," Karone said dejectedly.

"Who knows? Maybe ultrasound technology will advance to the point where doctors can tell if multiples are identical or fraternal," Carlos said hopefully.

"Everyone knows most identical multiples don't have the same personalities," Justin said, laying his hand on the table. "Then again, it'd be funny if they all spoke simultaneously."

"Uh-huh," the others said and laughed in delight.

Just then, Andros approached Ashley with a basket of fries and ranch dressing. He laid it in front of her, and she looked up at him with a smile.

"Thanks for bringing me my fries, Andros," Ashley said sweetly.

"You're welcome," Andros said and kissed her forehead. "I would've gotten to you sooner if that guy hadn't asked me for a diet coke." He gestured toward the man he had taken his order a few minutes ago sipping his diet coke.

"That's fine," Ashley replied as she looked toward him along with her friends. She turned to the fries. "This looks very good."

Andros touched her shoulder. "Fries and ranch dressing do sound weird together, but it's what you and the twins want." He ran his hand over her hair. "I can't complain."

Ashley picked up two fries and dipped them in the dressing. "Good. I'd tweak your nose and pull your underwear over your head if you complained." She popped them into her mouth and started to chew.

"Do you think you'd eat ice cream covered in ketchup, Ash?" Zhane wondered and put his arm around Karone's shoulder.

"If I'm craving that food combo, then I would eat it," Ashley answered truthfully and swallowed with a loud gulp. "It's better to be eating a weird food combo than not eating at all." Her body turned tense. "Some pregnant will avoid eating because they fear gaining weight. That's not good for babies at all."

"A pregnant woman's body needs an additional three hundred calories. Many pregnant women eat way more than that. They claim they are eating for two or more," Cassie said, shaking her head in disbelief.

Justin scoffed. "Even worse is some use the baby weight as an excuse to stay overweight or obese."

"That may be true, Justin, but all of us know not all fat people are that way because they have no self-control. Medical conditions and medications they take can cause the obesity," Carlos pointed out.

"Kai told Andros and me many pregnant women have thyroid problems. They have too much or too little of the hormone," Ashley commented. "Those who watch how much they eat yet still gain a lot of weight have hypothyroidism. Those who eat a lot yet gain little weight have hyperthyroidism. Both conditions can be found in normal people. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disorder. The body mistakenly attacks healthy thyroid gland cells, leaving the body without enough cells and enzymes to make thyroid hormone. The most common cause of maternal hyperthyroidism during pregnancy is the autoimmune disorder Grave's disease. In this disorder, the body makes an antibody called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin that causes the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone."

"Both conditions can be life-threatening to mother and baby," Andros added seriously. "That is if they are left untreated."

"I've read about both conditions," Karone said, pressing her lips together. "Some people with hyperthyroidism have no idea they have it when they are able to eat a lot and not gain a pound. They realize something is wrong when they start suffering diarrhea, have difficulty maintaining their weight, and losing their hair."

Cassie tensed a bit. "Losing hair at a young age would be so embarrassing."

"It can be. Then again, bald can be beautiful," TJ commented and clicked his tongue. "Anyway, I do feel bad for people with hypothyroidism. They want to lose excess weight so badly, yet it is so difficult due to the lack of thyroid. I feel bad for people who have hyperthyroidism too. They do everything in their power to maintain a normal weight, but it is nearly impossible because of too much thyroid."

The others shrugged. Ashley grabbed three more fries and dipping them in the dressing. She put them in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed with a loud gulp.

"Since you're carrying twins, Ashley, you will need to gain more weight than a pregnant woman who is carrying one baby will," Karone said thoughtfully.

"I'm aware, Karone," Ashley said. "Right now, I don't feel I've gained any weight at all."

"I can't even tell if you have gained weight, Ash. I do hope the babies will be born as close to the due date as possible," Andros whispered.

"I do too, but you never know what could happen," Ashley said, gazing up at him.

"I can see that. Still, I can't wait for our twins to be here," Andros said, taking her hand into his and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I hope you and Ashley are up for the challenge of raising twins as teens, Andros," a male voice said seriously.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin looked toward Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily, whom all stood a short distance away from them. The quartet walked toward the group. They stopped next to Andros.

"Tommy, how long had you, Kat, Jason, and Emily been standing there?" Andros wondered.

"Long enough to hear you and your friends talking about your twins," Tommy answered honestly.

"Word was going around on university campus that Andros and Ashley were having a baby. There was also stuff about Andros working at the Surf Spot," Kat added.

Andros showed shock. "How did—"

Jason shrugged. "We're not sure, Andros. It's likely a college student found out about it."

"All of Angel Grove High knows about the pregnancy. It's likely the college student overheard some of our fellow students talking about it and Andros's job somewhere," Zhane suggested.

"You're probably right," Emily said.

"Yeah," Jason said and put his arm around her to give her a small hug. He felt his girlfriend settle into his embrace.

"We want you and Ashley to know that we support you, Andros," Tommy said sympathetically.

"We're not turning our backs on you," Kat added softly and took his hand into hers. She felt her boyfriend give hers a gentle squeeze.

Ashley felt tears well up in her eyes. "Thanks, guys. We wish we could change what happened, but we—"

"Hey, you two are taking responsibility for your children. That's all that matters right now," Emily interrupted gently.

"Andros is a real man for going out and getting a job right away, despite it is close to Christmas. I've seen teen dads say they would provide for their children, but they never did," Jason said, scoffing frustratingly.

"Those losers might as well stuff it, Jase," a female voice said bluntly.

The group gazed toward Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya, whom stood not far from it. The quartet made their way toward it. They stopped behind TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin.

"How long had you, Rocky, Adam, and Tanya been standing there, Aisha?" Karone asked.

"Long enough to hear how word may have gotten around on campus about the pregnancy, the twins, and Andros's job," Aisha answered.

"Not in a million years did any of us think that former Rangers would become teen parents. Moreover, we didn't expect it'd be two members of the final team," Rocky commented in seriousness.

"After all, it was the Astro Rangers who thwarted Dark Specter's attack on the universe," Adam added.

"Andros and I feel fortunate that we will be able to raise our children without the looming threat of evil space aliens," Ashley whispered contently. "We plan to visit KO-35 at some point during my pregnancy." She smiled.

"That sounds like fun," Aisha commented in happiness. She noticed the fries and dressing. "By the way, Mom craved fries and ranch dressing when she was pregnant with me. She thought the combo was interesting. Dad thought it was weird."

"Who wouldn't think it's weird?" Zhane said with an eyebrow raised.

"One thing is clear. All four of us support Andros and Ashley," Tanya said, slipping her arm around Adam's waist. She felt him put his around her shoulder.

"We'll never turn our backs on you two," Adam declared in determination.

"If you ever need babysitters, don't hesitate to call any of us in our dorms. We'll be glad to babysit the twins," Aisha said, taking hold of Rocky's hand.

"The same goes for us," Jason said, motioning toward Tommy, Kat, Emily, and himself.

"Thanks for offering to babysit," Ashley commented, her smile growing wider. "It's great to know we'll have no shortage of them."

"No kidding," Andros agreed and let go of Ashley's hand. "Anyway, I better get back to work. I don't want an employee getting on my case that it isn't my break yet."

"That's fine, Andros," Tommy said with a nod. "It was nice talking to you."

The others watched Andros walk off. They looked at each other as Ashley ran her fingers through her ponytail.

"Would you guys like to see ultrasound pictures of the babies? I have several with me," Ashley suggested.

"We'd love to," Tanya said.

"Great," Ashley said and stood up. She knelt down to get her backpack out from underneath the table. She unzipped it and pulled out the ultrasound pictures. She zipped it closed before pushing it back in its spot. She returned to her chair and gave them to Tommy. "Some pictures don't show the twins very clearly."

"Oh, that's fine," Tommy responded and gave Kat, Jason, Emily, Rocky, and Aisha one picture each. He looked at his. "I can see the twins clearly in this one."

Kat looked a bit disappointed. "Unfortunately, I can't see them clearly in this one."

Jason smiled. "They are really clear in this picture."

"They aren't in this one," Emily muttered, frowning.

"I can see them in this picture," Rocky said, his voice showing pride.

"So can I in this one," Aisha added. "This is really neat."

Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Rocky, and Aisha gave the pictures to Adam and Tanya, whom got three each. The duo started to look through them, smiling in warmness. Just then, Adelle walked up to the group. Everyone gazed at her.

"Looking through ultrasound pictures, aren't you?" Adelle asked.

"Hey, Adelle. What's shaking?" Adam replied.

"I'm just doing my best to keep this place running, Adam," Adelle said, a smile crossing her lips. "Andros has been doing a hell of a job since he started working for me last Wednesday. He's looking forward to getting his first paycheck."

"I'm going with him to SunTrust, so he can open up an account," TJ added.

"Cool," Aisha exclaimed, turning toward him along with Rocky, Adam, Tanya, Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily.

"By the way, my obstetrician's name is Kai Chen. He was a teen father at one time," Ashley said.

Kat felt her jaw drop. "No way."

"I'm not kidding, Kat," Ashley answered. She grabbed a fry and dipped it in the dressing. She put it in her mouth and chewed. She swallowed. "He and his wife, Brittany, have a sixteen-year-old daughter, An-Mei."

Tanya laughed. "That girl has the name of one of the mothers in _The Joy Luck Club._ "

"She does. It's a beautiful name," Ashley commented, crossing her arms.

"It sure is," Adelle agreed. "Anyway, can I get any of the college kids anything?"

"Nah," Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily replied with shakes of their heads.

"Not right now," Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya added.

Adelle nodded at the college students. "All right. I'll see you later."

The youngsters watched Adelle walk away. They looked at each other, taking slow yet even breaths.

"Justin, what do you say we play a game of pool?" Jason suggested.

"You're on, Jase," Justin said, standing up. "The loser has to buy the winner a drink."

"It's a deal," Jason commented. He and Justin headed for the pool table. "I bet I'll beat…"

Jason continued talking to Justin as they went to the cue stick stand. Carlos gazed at Rocky, who pressed his lips together.

"Rocky, are you up for a game of arcade baseball?" Carlos asked.

"Sure," Rocky answered with a smile. "Last one there is a rotten egg!"

Carlos stood up as Rocky headed toward the arcade area. He went after him. Adam and Tanya took Carlos and Justin's chairs. They resumed looking through the pictures. Tommy, Kat, Emily, and Aisha grabbed chairs from a nearby table. They pulled them up to sit down. They, Adam, Tanya, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, and Cassie started talking about decorating the Surf Spot for the annual Christmas party.


	48. Pleasant Discussions

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I can't say for sure, but it is possible Zack, Trini, and Kim will be making their first appearances in the next few chapters. The same goes for Ashley's grandparents and TJ's grandfather. Stay tuned for chapter forty-nine.

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Chapter 48: Pleasant Discussions

Heavy rain was falling on the Hammond residence in the mid-evening. Lightning flashed through the sky, followed by a thunderclap. Ashley was reading _The Blue Lagoon_ while sitting on her bed in her room. She finished one page and turned to the next one. She smiled, thinking Richard and Emmeline's story was so beautiful. It reminded her of her and Andros's relationship.

She looked toward the window. She and Andros gave Tommy the go ahead to tell Zack, Trini, and Kim about the twins. She was glad to know all three of them accepted the news well when he called her. To her surprise, he told her that Billy called him from Cypress Hotel in Nolensville, Tennessee just after he spoke with Kim. He informed him about the pregnancy in which their friend accepted it. She called Andros just after he got home from work and told him everything. Her boyfriend was happy to know all was well.

She turned back to her book and closed it. She laid it on her bed and touched her stomach. She rubbed it very lightly. She was glad she didn't get sick from anything she ate this afternoon or this evening. She had a feeling she'd have a craving for another weird food combo soon. She wasn't sure what it would be. All that she knew was it would taste good to her. Knocking diverted her attention, and she gazed at the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened with a slight squeak. Anna walked in and closed it behind her. Ashley smiled at her.

"Hey, Mom," Ashley greeted.

"Hey yourself, Ashley," Anna said, approaching the bed. She sat down beside her. She noticed the book. "You can't get enough of reading _The Blue Lagoon,_ can you?" She chuckled.

"No, I can't. It's such a wonderful book. The 1980 film version was very close to the book. Unlike the book, Richard and Emmeline named their son Paddy after the cook who cared for them after they were marooned on their island," Ashley explained.

Anna slipped a lock of hair behind her daughter's ear. "I recall there being much nudity and sexuality in that movie, though there was a lot less than there was in the book itself." She chuckled as she remembered seeing that film in the theater. "Most of Brooke Shields's nude scenes were played by body doubles because she was so young. She had her hair glued to her breasts in her topless scenes."

"Sexuality is a normal part of human nature. It shouldn't be suppressed. It astounds me that society does everything in its power to convince people it's bad unless—" Ashley started.

"It's within the bounds of marriage," Anna finished and sighed heavily. "I know. When your grandparents learned that your father and I were having sex, they weren't thrilled with it at all. They told us it was to be reserved for marriage." She scoffed in annoyance. "They balked at us using protection."

"Speaking of protection, Andros and I will use it after we resume our sexual activity following the birth of the twins," Ashley declared.

"That's good," Anna said proudly. "I have to admit that I'm looking forward to becoming a grandmother now. I'm rather young to be one, but I'm okay with that."

Ashley smiled lightly. "I'm glad. I do wonder how Andros and Karone's parents would've reacted to him becoming a young father to twins."

"I honestly believe they would've been angry at first, but they would've accepted it. After all, he told us many times how they loved him and his sister so much that there was nothing they'd do that would ever change that," Anna said, rubbing her nose.

Ashley picked up her book and opened the top drawer of her nightstand. She placed it inside before closing. She looked at her mother while laying her hands in her lap.

"Your grandparents were happy that you were conceived after your father and I were married. They hoped you and Andros would conceive your first child after you were married. That didn't happen. I'm not looking forward to when you tell them about your pregnancy at all," Anna muttered, putting her hand over her face.

"I'm not either, but I have to do it. On top of that, Andros and I can't stand to see our babies being raised out there in the world by strangers. Even if we agreed to do an open adoption, it'd still hurt that we wouldn't be fully part of their lives," Ashley responded with a loud sigh.

"That's understandable. Unwed teen mothers' homes were quite common in the old days. Most of them treated the mothers well. They gave them comfortable beds, good food to eat, and even allowed visitors," Anna commented, laying her hand in her lap.

"You wouldn't have—well, you know," Ashley whispered nervously.

"No, we wouldn't have," Anna answered truthfully. She knew her daughter was talking about sending her to one of those homes if her pregnancy had happened back then. "We would've asked you to marry Andros, so the neighbors wouldn't shun you, though."

"I understand that. I wouldn't have objected because I do love him dearly," Ashley responded, sniffling. "Many girls did love the boys who fathered their children back then. Others didn't, but they went through with marrying them to give their children both parents." She let out a sad sigh. "Nowadays, many men bolt when they learn they are to be fathers."

"You're such a lucky mom. Your children's father is determined to be in your lives. It's great he was able to find a job so quickly. It walked right into his hands," Anna said warmly.

"Thanks to Mr. Freeman," Ashley whispered in relief. "I got a glimpse of how hard a worker Andros was at the Surf Spot this afternoon." She smiled. "Adelle told him three times he was doing a great job."

"That's wonderful," Anna said. "Despite that Andros is making only eight bucks an hour, he will still be earning a bit of money working twenty hours a week. Just don't let him burn it."

Ashley blew a raspberry at her mother. Anna ruffled her daughter's hair and got her hand swatted aside by her.

"Your father and I have talked about turning the guest room into a nursery for the twins. We can put the old rocking chair I used for when you were a baby in there," Anna said.

Ashley pressed her lips together. "I remember all the times you told me that rocking chair was one of the few things that could get me to calm down when I cried. Do you think we could put it by the window, so I can look outside while I am holding one or both of the babies?"

Anna nodded at her. "Sure. We could put some wind chimes outside the window. It's said they lull babies to sleep more easily."

"I'd like that," Ashley commented, her face beaming with happiness. "I like how wind chimes make such beautiful sounds when the wind hits them."

"Me too," Anna agreed. "Do you think you and Andros will tell your children about your stints as Power Rangers?"

"I'd like to," Ashley said honestly. She folded her hands and laid them in her lap. "Then again, the children could earn the jealousy of their peers." She tensed somewhat.

"If their peers get jealous because they have famous parents, who cares? Your father and I are so proud of you for risking your life to protect the universe from evil. Despite the bullying you have been experiencing, many people still support you and Andros," Anna commented.

"The most important support we've gotten is from our family and friends. Without it, we'd be lost," Ashley whispered in sadness.

Anna cupped the young woman's chin in her hand. "If you ever need advice on caring for the children, don't hesitate to ask your father and me. We'll be willing to give it to you."

Ashley sniffled. "Thanks."

Anna and Ashley hugged tightly. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before pulling apart.

"You should get to bed soon. You have school tomorrow," Anna warned seriously.

"Of course. Good night, Mom," Ashley replied.

"Good night, darling," Anna said and kissed her daughter's forehead. She stood up and headed out of the room.

00000

At the Johnson residence, Andros was filling a glass with water in the kitchen. He turned it off once it was nearly full and took a long sip. He looked out the window. He saw lightning light up the sky and listened to a loud thunderclap a second later. He sipped more of his water, smacking his lips.

He made his way over to the table and laid his water on the table's left end. He decided to sit down. He thought about his afternoon shift. He got unhappy looks from three new employees. He had no doubt they overheard him talking to Ashley about their planned cabin trip after she finished her fries. He didn't care what they thought, though. All that mattered was that he got his request for extra days off.

His thoughts drifted to getting his first paycheck. He couldn't wait for Thursday to be here. He was a little nervous about opening a bank account, but he was grateful that TJ would be with him for that. He and Ashley wanted to save every single penny they could for the twins. Then again, he knew there was always a chance they'd have to use some of the money for emergencies.

Andros picked up his water to take a small sip. He set it down before taking a slow yet even breath. He propped his head up with his elbow. He let out a long yawn before rubbing his eyes with his other hand. Footsteps caught his attention, and he turned to see Ricky walking into the kitchen.

"Hi, Mr. Johnson," Andros greeted.

"Hi yourself, Andros," Ricky said, sitting down at the chair to the left of him. He looked at him closely. "You look rather tired."

"Unfortunately," Andros mumbled with another small yawn. "I worked a little harder than usual today." He gave his eyes another rub. "At least the gang and I got to see our college friends today."

"It's nice they offered to babysit your kids. I hope they can handle twice the smelly diapers," Ricky replied with a light chuckle.

"Me too," Andros agreed and moved his neck with a grimace. He gazed at Ricky. "On top of that, it's nice to know Billy is enjoying his trip across the country. Who would've thought we'd learn he was currently in Nolensville, Tennessee?"

"I've heard that town is nice but expensive to live in," Ricky commented, laying his hand on the table. He tapped his fingers on it. "Then again, some parts of California are among the most expensive places to live in the United States."

"Los Angeles is a beautiful city, but I wouldn't want to live there. The paparazzi are always pestering civilians to tell them where celebrities are having lunch, getting gas, shopping, etc. They want to take pictures of them and sell them for big bucks," Andros mumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"I feel bad for many celebrities. They just want to live as normal lives as possible, yet the paps make it difficult for them," Ricky said and ran his tongue over his teeth.

Andros shrugged. He ran his finger up and down his glass before clicking his tongue three times. Ricky stopped tapping and laid his hand in his lap.

"I'm glad your job is going very well, Andros. Who would've thought you would get one so close to Christmas?" Ricky wondered.

Andros ran his hand over his face. "I say I was very lucky. Ashley and I intended to walk into Mr. Freeman's office to sign up for the teen program and leave." He laughed in a quiet manner. "All of a sudden, he revealed there were job openings at the Surf Spot. I had to go for it."

"You're also lucky you got extra days off for your cabin trip. So few bosses grant time off so soon," Ricky answered.

"I know," Andros whispered and tapped his finger on his glass. "I have to admit that it hurts when I see the gang leave. I can't go with them anymore since I'm working." He sniffled.

"At least you get off at seven o'clock every night. That gives you time to eat dinner and do your homework after you get home," Ricky pointed out.

"Mm-hmm. Adelle told me she would let me off at eleven since Ashley's next ultrasound appointment is at one o'clock. She said she'd pay me for that hour," Andros commented.

Ricky showed happiness. "That's great. You'll have some time to freshen up before you take her to the hospital. Do you think you'll talk to Kai about a birth plan?"

"We're planning on doing that," Andros said, picking up his water to take another sip. He laid it down. "Moreover, we're hoping to hear the babies' heartbeats on the ultrasound. Ashley will be nearly three months pregnant by then. A baby's heartbeat can be heard on the ultrasound by the eighth week."

"That would be cool to listen to," Ricky commented delightfully. He reached over and patted his guest's shoulder lightly. "Your generation is so lucky. In the old days, there were no ultrasounds to determine a baby's health. Pregnant women didn't even know if their babies had died in utero until they gave birth to stillborn babies."

"I have a feeling people will accuse Ashley and me of being horrible parents just because we won't spank our children over every mistake they make. Children can be quite clumsy. Instead of punishing them for making a mess, why not have them clean it up?" Andros wondered.

"Unfortunately, some people think it's acceptable to beat children black and blue over the tiniest infraction. My parents did spank me, but it was only a last resort when everything else had failed. Diane's parents did the same," Ricky said in seriousness.

"My parents never spanked Karone and me. They didn't need to because we were very well-behaved. That's not to say we didn't have our bratty moments," Andros said, a small smile crossing his lips.

"I see," Ricky said and laughed softly. "You, Karone, and TJ are good kids. You all deserve a chance to be the best you can be."

Ricky gave Andros's shoulder a gentle squeeze before returning his hand to his lap. They looked toward the sink window to see lightning flash. They heard thunder come a second later. They turned to each other.

"Mr. Johnson, I did some thinking while I was at work," Andros whispered, clearing his throat.

"What about?" Ricky wondered.

"What would you think of me moving in with Ashley and her parents, so I can be with her just in case she needs me?" Andros asked seriously.

Ricky showed much surprise. He never thought he'd hear Andros ask such a question. On one hand, he'd miss him having him in his home. On the other hand, he believed it'd be good for him to be with his girlfriend.

"I understand you want to be with Ashley, Andros, but you need to talk to her and her parents about this first. It'd be best if you wait until you see her at school tomorrow morning to talk her since it is late," Ricky said truthfully.

"I know. If I do move in with her and her parents, I have to say I'll miss living here. You and your family have been so good to me ever since I moved in," Andros responded, a tear falling from his eye.

"I'll miss you too," Ricky said with a smile. "Just prepare yourself. Ashley might wake you up in the middle of the night because she's craving something from a fast-food place. You wouldn't have to worry about her calling you and waking you up, though."

"That's true," Andros agreed and yawned again. "I should get to bed. I don't want to wake up tired in the morning."

"All right. Good night, buddy," Ricky said in warmness.

"Good night, Mr. Johnson," Andros said, rising to his feet. He grabbed his water. "I'll see you in the morning."

Ricky watched Andros leave the kitchen. He shifted his attention toward the window to see a lightning flash. He began to sing a scat.


	49. A Fight, Serious Consequence, and Police

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter forty-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. I did research on expulsion of students from school for severe offenses in California. I found it can't be done by the principal. It has to be done before the school board at a hearing. However, a student can be suspended for an indefinite period of time while the hearing is pending. Stay tuned for chapter fifty.

XXXXX

Chapter 49: A Fight/Serious Consequence/Police

Rain was still falling by early morning the next day, though it wasn't anywhere near as heavy. Ashley pulled her hair back with both hands while holding a ponytail holder in the Hammond residence's upstairs bathroom. She put the holder over the ponytail three times. She pushed her bangs off to the side before slipping locks of hair behind her ears. She was satisfied with her work.

She grabbed the hem of white blouse and lifted it enough to expose her stomach. She ran her hand over it. She was glad that it was still flat at this time. She was determined to cherish that until it started expanding, whenever that would be. She saw Ashton coming up behind her in the mirror. She put her blouse down quickly. He was tying his blue tie.

"Hey, you didn't have to put your shirt down," he said, joining her side.

"Well, I didn't want you to see me doing what I was doing," she answered a little embarrassingly.

"Nonsense. Your mom admired the flatness of her stomach during the early part of her pregnancy with you a lot. In fact, she didn't start showing until the seventh month," Ashton said, finishing with his tie.

She looked at him in surprise. "No way."

He shook his head. "I'm not kidding. By the time she got to her ninth month, she looked like she was carrying a watermelon. She did lose the baby weight quickly since almost all of it was water weight."

"I hope I'm that lucky," Ashley whispered, laying her hands on the counter. "Of course, I probably will show sooner than Mom did." She laughed in some nervousness. "I have a feeling I will feel like a beached whale by the final month of my pregnancy."

"Most pregnant women do," Ashton said, patting her shoulder. "I know it's early in your pregnancy, but what kind of wallpaper would you like in the nursery?"

"I have no idea," Ashley said honestly. "Even if I knew right now, I'd probably change my mind later."

"Many young people change their minds constantly. It's in their nature," Ashton commented.

"Sometimes, there are so many choices and so little time to choose," Ashley responded, wrinkling her nose.

Ashton squeezed his daughter's shoulder so gently that it seemed he hadn't. He looked toward the mirror and adjusted his tie a little bit. He and Ashley turned to each other.

"I am looking forward to becoming a grandfather. I didn't expect it to happen in my forties, though. I was thinking it'd happen in my fifties," Ashton said truthfully.

"Everyone knows things don't always go the way we planned," Ashley responded.

"Parents always start off planning for one baby. When they find they are having more than one, they have to change their plans," Ashton pointed out.

"At least you didn't disown me when Andros and I told you about the pregnancy," Ashley whispered in relief. "Some parents do that to their expectant teens." She became very disgusted.

"Those parents should be charged with child endangerment. The streets can be a dangerous place for teens," Ashton growled angrily.

Ashley's disgusted expression turned to sadness. "Unfortunately, the police won't do anything. Parents actually have the right to disown their children, even if they are young and vulnerable. I have a feeling Andros and I will meet teen parents who were disowned by their parents at our first support group meeting."

"What you can do for those teen parents is be a friend to them," he commented, licking his lips.

"I'll do my best. If they don't want me to be their friend, then I'll just have to accept that," she said.

"Of course," Ashton agreed, running his hand over her ponytail. "It will be interesting seeing you walk up to get your diploma. You will likely have a big belly by then."

"It will be interesting going to my senior prom too. I will likely be showing by then," Ashley said with a laugh.

Ashton nodded at her. "We can get you flat shoes, so you won't have to deal with the pain of walking in high heels. Women who wear them all the time don't realize the damage they are doing to their feet and backs." He rolled his eyes.

"Some people think women should sacrifice comfort for fashion. If they don't, they are considered ugly," Ashley hissed in annoyance. "I love beautiful dresses, but I am not wearing them if they are uncomfortable."

"That's good," Ashton said, winking at her.

Ashley smiled at her father. She tightened her ponytail slightly before clearing her throat. Ashton looked toward the hallway.

"I better go get some coffee," he said and turned back to her. "Have a good day at school." He kissed her cheek.

"Have a good day at work," she answered and observed him leaving. She looked at the mirror and ran her hands over her face.

00000

A slightly heavier rain was falling at Angel Grove High School more an hour later. Andros was pulling his chemistry book out of his locker at the end of the hallway in front of the stairs. The locker happened to be the top first in this set. He put the notebook in his backpack before zipping it shut. He closed his locker with a loud slam.

Andros put his backpack over his shoulders. A loud thunderclap sounded as he made his way toward Ashley and Cassie, whom were standing next to their lockers and talking about Christmas Break. His girlfriend looked at him as he came to her side and put his arm around her. He gave her forehead a kiss.

"Good morning, darling," Andros greeted.

"Good morning yourself. How are you?" Ashley asked, her voice tinged with sweetness.

"I'm doing fine. How are you and the children doing?" Andros answered, raising an eyebrow.

"We're doing fine. I had four pancakes covered in maple syrup and a side of relish. I was craving the latter," Ashley explained.

"Ash, why do I get this feeling you'll be eating pancakes covered in relish at some point?" Cassie wondered and laughed as Andros and Ashley looked at her.

"You want to try that food combo?" Ashley commented, a snicker coming out of her mouth.

"I just might when I'm pregnant. I just have to find a guy first. I won't be having my first child until I am financially ready," Cassie declared.

"It's crazy some people have children, so they can get welfare," Andros said frustratingly. "I understand using welfare as a way to make ends meet until you find a good-paying job, but it should not be used as a means to make money."

"Those parents believe they should get money without having to work for it. Even worse is some say they are unable to find work and get welfare while they are still working," Ashley said in disgust.

"Talk about welfare fraud," Cassie said with a scoff.

"You said it," Andros agreed.

Lightning lit up the window at the stairs. A loud thunderclap came a second later, followed by a quieter one. Andros rubbed Ashley's arm as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Ashley, there's something I want to ask you," Andros said.

"What is it?" Ashley asked.

Andros took a deep breath. He hoped she'd be okay with he was about to say. "What do you think of me moving in with you and your parents?"

Ashley looked at her boyfriend in surprise, as did Cassie. Not once did she think he'd ask that. On one hand, she didn't want him to be away from his family, especially Karone. On the other hand, she'd love to have him nearby, so he could help her with whatever she needed quickly.

"I'd be fine with you moving in with us. We do have three bedrooms, though the guest room will be converted into a nursery in the future," Ashley commented.

"I can always sleep on the couch," Andros responded, giving a shrug.

"What did your family say about this?" Ashley asked.

"I asked TJ's dad first. He said he understood I wanted to be with you, but I had to talk to you and your parents. I told the rest of the family at breakfast. They thought it was a good idea," Andros explained.

"I think you should move in with Ashley and her parents, Andros," Cassie suggested as Andros and Ashley gazed at her. "You wouldn't have to deal with her calling you in the middle of the night because she's craving something from a fast-food place."

Andros laughed. "That's what Mr. Johnson said when I told him."

Ashley let out a small yawn. "I'll talk to my parents about this after school. If they say yes, we should wait until after our Christmas stay at the cabin for you to move in."

"I'm fine with that," Andros replied, kissing her temple. He gave her a big hug. "This will be so—"

Laughter came out of nowhere. Andros, Ashley, and Cassie looked ahead to see Johnny coming their way with two students walking alongside him.

"Thanks to me, the whole school knows that Andros and Ashley are having twins. They are even bigger jokes now!" Johnny said.

The entire group laughed raucously. Andros, Ashley, and Cassie became very angry. They had no doubt Johnny overheard their discussion about the twins in the hallway yesterday. It made them sick to their stomachs that he made things even worse for the couple. Andros let go of Ashley and stomped toward the bully as he came to a stop in front of the stairs along with the students.

"Johnny, you bastard. How dare you cause more grief for Ashley and me!" Andros shouted.

"Well, well, if it isn't the alien boy," Johnny said and looked over the young man's shoulder to see Ashley and Cassie. "You brought the slut and her friend too." He turned his attention back to him.

"You had no right to do what you did," Andros growled.

"The harassment against Andros and Ashley has gotten worse because of you!" Cassie yelled.

"It deserved to get worse," Johnny said with a malicious laugh. "If the twins are fraternal, that means they can have two fathers."

Andros hissed fiercely. "I'm the father of both babies. Never in a million years would Ashley cheat on me. You are sick to think she'd do that."

"Just because you've been dating her for nearly two years doesn't mean you know her that well. She may have been sleeping around on you all this time," Johnny sneered.

"I know her well enough that she would never hurt me in any way, shape, or form. If you had been dating her, you would've been cheating on her with another girl behind her back. You're the type of boy who would do that. He sticks with a pretty girl until he finds a prettier one and begins screwing her," Andros said in determination.

"You better take that back right now or else," Johnny demanded.

"Or else what?" Andros asked, an uneasy feeling creeping up in his stomach.

Johnny grabbed a switchblade from his pocket and unfolded it. "I will make you!"

The students with Johnny moved away as he screamed like a maniac and slashed at Andros with the knife. Andros blocked him with his arm, knocking it to the floor. Johnny hissed and tried to punch him in the face, but his rival managed to catch his fist in his hand. Ashley and Cassie left to find anyone who could help.

Andros threw Johnny into the stairs. Johnny recovered quickly and rushed his fist toward him with a loud yell. Andros caught his fist in his hand. Johnny backhanded him across the cheek, forcing him to let go. He shoved him, causing him to stumble backward. Andros lost his footing and ended up on his back next to the trashcan.

Johnny got his knife. He was about to stalk toward his rival when Leo grabbed him from behind and wrapped his arms around him, causing him to drop it again. Johnny struggled against Leo's grasp to no avail. Leo moved his hands to the bully's shoulders and forced him down on the floor. He pushed him down on his stomach. He pinned him with his knee and forced his hands behind his back. Andros got up, panting heavily.

"Let me go, Leo!" Johnny screeched.

"I don't think so, you jerk," Leo retorted through clenched teeth. "No one goes after my friend with a knife and gets away with it."

Johnny struggled against Leo's grip, but he was unable to get free. He snarled frustratingly. Just then, Ashley and Cassie arrived with Mr. Kaplan. Andros and Leo looked at him. TJ, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix walked up to the group.

"Mr. Kaplan, Johnny had a knife. He tried to attack me with it," Andros said, swallowing hard.

"I saw it in Johnny's hand when he was about to approach Andros," Leo added.

"Cassie and I saw it as well," Ashley said.

Mr. Kaplan spotted the knife on the floor. He gazed down at Johnny as Leo let go of him and rose to his feet. A furious look crossed his face.

"Johnny, you are to come to my office right now," Mr. Kaplan demanded. He looked at Andros, Ashley, Cassie, and Leo. "I want you four to come with me as well. I will need to talk to you."

Mr. Kaplan went over and picked up the knife. He folded it and headed down the hallway. Johnny stood up and followed him close behind. TJ approached Andros, concern showing on his face.

"Are you okay, man?" TJ asked.

"I'm fine," Andros answered, sighing heavily. "I'm a little shaken, though."

"Of everything that Johnny has put you and Ashley through, I didn't think he'd be brave enough to bring a weapon on school property," Kendrix said in some shock.

"Me neither," Zhane agreed.

"One thing is clear. Johnny is in big time trouble," Karone said seriously.

"Oh, yeah," Justin said, giving a sharp nod.

"Definitely," Carlos added bluntly.

"Come on, Andros," Ashley said, motioning down the hallway. "We need to get to the principal office."

Andros, Ashley, Cassie, and Leo walked off. TJ, Carlos, Justin, Zhane, Karone, and Kendrix looked at each other.

"Talk about crazy," Karone mumbled.

"You said it, Karone. Who would've thought a fight would break out, let alone find a knife was involved?" Kendrix asked.

Zhane showed some nervousness. "I hope Johnny doesn't pull anything in the principal's office."

TJ bit his lip. "Me neither. Let's get to class before the bell rings."

Carlos headed upstairs. Kendrix walked to the women's restroom. Zhane and Karone went left. TJ and Justin headed right.

00000

Mr. Kaplan looked out his office window seven minutes later. Johnny sat at the first of two chairs that were in front of the desk. He looked around the medium-sized office. A file cabinet was behind the principal's chair. A computer was on top of the desk and contained a cable modem that was connected to the wall.

Mr. Kaplan approached the desk while staring Johnny in the eye. He still looked angry, but it wasn't as bad as before. Johnny crossed his left ankle over his right. He folded his hands and laid them in his lap. He tilted his head somewhat, clicking his tongue three times.

"Johnny, you know weapons are forbidden on school property unless they are for a class. Despite all the trouble you've caused, not once did I think you'd bring one to school," Mr. Kaplan scolded, picking up the switchblade.

"I never intended to use that knife, sir, but Andros forced my hand," Johnny retorted defiantly.

"Andros isn't the type of person to attack someone without provocation. One of the rules Power Rangers had to follow was never escalating a fight unless they had to. In this case, you forced him to defend himself. Had Leo not interfered, you would've stabbed him," Mr. Kaplan said seriously and laid it aside.

"Andros should be in trouble along with me. He was just as responsible for the fight as I was," Johnny said and scoffed loudly.

"You were the one with the knife. Having a weapon on school property is one of the worst offenses a student can commit, Johnny. I don't think you understand how much trouble you are really in," Mr. Kaplan said with a snort.

"I guess I don't," Johnny said sarcastically.

"Effective immediately, I am suspending you from school indefinitely pending a hearing for your expulsion before the school board," Mr. Kaplan announced.

"Oh, come on. You can't be serious!" Johnny commented, shaking his head.

"Oh, I am, young man," Mr. Kaplan replied in a blunt manner. "On top of that, I am notifying the police of what transpired here." He narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Perhaps some time in jail will straighten you out."

"But—" Johnny started.

"No buts," Mr. Kaplan interrupted sharply as he grabbed the phone. "You are to go into the waiting room and stay there. The police will pick you up and take you to the station. I'm also calling your parents and telling them everything."

Johnny mumbled inaudible words. He stood up and grabbed his backpack from the floor. He walked out of the office as the principal put the phone to his ear and began dialing. The bell rang, causing Mr. Kaplan to look up. He knew he'd have to write excuse slips for Andros, Ashley, Cassie, and Leo, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting the police here.

00000

Andros, Ashley, Cassie, and Leo sat in the conference room fifteen minutes later. They were waiting to give statements to police about what happened after Mr. Kaplan informed them of what was to become of Johnny. They were a little nervous about it. They looked around the medium-sized room, which had a long table with six chairs on each side and one at each end. They were seated in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chairs on the right. They looked at each other.

"I never thought we'd be dealing with the police at school," Andros said with a heavy sigh.

Ashley touched his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Neither did the rest of us. It feels very unreal."

"There is a first time for everything," Cassie said with a shrug.

"Unfortunately, that first time can be a bad thing," Leo muttered, his body becoming tense.

Cassie yawned widely. "If Johnny gets expelled, we won't have to worry about him being here again."

"It's times like this that I wish I was at home, but I can't be," Ashley said, letting out a sharp exhale. "Johnny went too far this time. He has to pay the price." She hissed in anger.

"The arrogant look I saw on his face when he came out of Mr. Kaplan's office made me want to punch him, but I didn't because he wanted that. I believe he thinks he will get off for what he did," Andros commented.

"Because we are the main eyewitnesses to him brandishing a knife, it's going to be damn difficult for him to justify his actions at his expulsion hearing," Leo said in seriousness.

"It might be, but he'll try. I guarantee it," Cassie replied.

"At least we won't have to worry about him for the rest of the day. His ass is going to jail," Ashley said, rubbing her nose.

Leo sighed in relief. "Hallelujah."

The sound of the door opening caused the teens to look up. Mr. Kaplan walked in with Jerome. Andros squeezed Ashley's hand as they approached them. The lieutenant had a folder under his arm and pens in his hand.

"Hey, kids," Jerome greeted.

"Hey, Lt. Stone," Andros replied in a warm voice. "We weren't expecting you to come to the school." He chuckled. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Andros, though I wish it was under better circumstances," Jerome answered regretfully.

"We do too," Leo said honestly. "It's not every day a student brings a weapon on school property."

Jerome nodded in agreement and took off his hat. He decided to return to the police department after he sold the Youth Center to Adelle in October 1997. He resumed his position as lieutenant. Before he did that, he offered to help her with remodeling for the Surf Spot to which she agreed. He ran into Bulk and Skull occasionally.

Mr. Kaplan whispered inaudible words into Jerome's ear. The lieutenant nodded at him. The principal waved to the teens and walked out. Jerome sat down in the chair next to Andros. He laid his hat, folder, and pens on the table and focused his attention on the teens.

"I want to let you guys know that Johnny is on his way to the police station now. He's going to be booked for felony weapon possession on school property," Jerome said calmly yet firmly.

"Good. I hope his sorry ass is expelled. I don't want to see his damn face around here anymore. Excuse my language, but I am so angry at what he tried to do Andros," Ashley said, acting as if she were spitting at the floor.

"I understand, Ashley, but all that anger isn't good for your children. Mr. Kaplan told me about your pregnancy. I just want you and your boyfriend to know that I'm supporting you," Jerome responded.

Ashley nodded at him. "Thank you."

Jerome gave her and Andros a small smile. "You're welcome. Mr. Kaplan also said Andros is working part-time at the Surf Spot. I'm impressed he found a job so close to Christmas."

"Well, it was right there. I had to go for it," Andros commented truthfully and gave a shrug.

"That's what you're supposed to do when the opportunity is there. Anyway, you four will need to tell me everything that happened in that knife attack. Then I will have you write statements," Jerome explained.

"We won't have a problem with that," Leo commented.

"You all should look into getting restraining orders. I have little doubt Johnny's parents will post bond. He is angry at you four and might decide to go after you," Jerome said in seriousness.

"I don't see why we should, sir. We're great fighters. We're capable of defending ourselves," Cassie pointed out.

"Cassie, there will be times you and your friends won't be home. With restraining orders on your homes in place, your parents will be able to call the police if Johnny comes on your properties," Jerome explained and exhaled sharply.

Leo gazed at Cassie. "He's got a point, Cassie. I also have my brother and his girlfriend to think about. I'm going to call them and tell them about all this. I want them to take precautions in case Johnny decides to go after them."

Cassie sighed heavily. Though she didn't want to get a restraining order, she knew it was for the best. After all, being an eyewitness to a knife wielder made her more of a target.

"I'll look into getting one," Cassie said, rubbing her forehead.

"Great," Leo replied as he and his friend looked at Jerome. "We'll let our friends know about all this."

"All right. We need to get started, so you can be on your way to your classes," Jerome said. "Mr. Kaplan told me he'd write excuse slips for your teachers."

"Okay. Let's get this over with," Andros commented, rubbing his hands together. He proceeded to tell the lieutenant about what happened before the fight began.


	50. Much Determination and Chemistry Lecture

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. It's looking likely that Zack, Trini, and Kim will be making their first appearances in the next few chapters. It's possible Kim's cousin, Kelly, will appear as well. I haven't decided where she will be attending school at the moment. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-one.

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Chapter 50: Much Determination/Chemistry Lecture

Andros, Ashley, Leo, and Cassie were filling out their statements six minutes later. They laid their pens beside their forms on the table once they were finished. They slid them over to Jerome, who placed the former in the folder and closed it. They saw him grab the latter. He got his hat to place it on his head. He rose to his feet with a light grunt.

"Thanks for filling out these statements, kids. I hope you get those restraining orders soon," Jerome said seriously, as he got the folder.

"Oh, we will after we tell our parents about what happened this evening," Leo replied honestly.

"We don't want to call them during school hours. They might rush over here and try to make us leave if we do," Cassie added with a nervous laugh.

"That's understandable," Jerome said sympathetically. "Too many parents hover over their kids these days. In fact, some go with them to job interviews." He scoffed frustratingly.

"That su—stinks. I really don't want to use bad language in front of a police officer," Andros muttered, cringing somewhat.

"You can go on ahead and say sucks, Andros. I hear it all the time from my fellow officers," Jerome commented.

"Then again, bad language makes for bad feelings," Leo whispered in Robocop's voice.

"Nice imitation of Robocop's voice, Leo," Jerome complimented with a warm chuckle.

"Thanks," Leo responded with a smile. He pushed his bangs out of his face. "Dad laughs his head off whenever he hears me do that. Anyway, it's crazy parents will accompany their children to job interviews. They've been known to cause a scene if their precious angels don't get the job." He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah," Jerome agreed. "Well, it's time for me to go. It was nice seeing you all."

"It was nice seeing you too, Lt. Stone," Ashley replied in a sweet voice.

"We'll call the police department right away if Johnny dares set foot on our properties or comes too close to any of us once the restraining orders are in place," Cassie said in determination.

"Okay," Jerome answered while nodding. "I'll see you kids later."

Jerome approached the door and opened it. He went out of the room and closed it behind him. Mr. Kaplan came in, and the students rose to their feet and grabbed their backpacks to put them over their shoulders. They walked up to him.

"I trust everything went well," Mr. Kaplan said hopefully.

Andros nodded. "It sure did, sir."

Ashley looked a little nervous. "What about you? Are you thinking of getting a restraining order? You did suspend and call the police on Johnny after all."

"I am thinking about it, Ashley. If Johnny is expelled, he will be arrested for trespassing if he comes onto school property," Mr. Kaplan pointed out.

"Still, it's better to be safe than sorry," Leo said.

Mr. Kaplan grabbed the excuse slips from his pocket. "Yeah. Here are your excuse slips." He gave them to the students.

"Thanks for everything, sir," Andros responded and gazed at the door. "We'd love to stick around, but we need to get to class."

"Of course. Have a good day," Mr. Kaplan answered, winking at the boy.

Andros, Ashley, Cassie, and Leo headed into the waiting room. They stopped in their tracks when they heard a door open. They saw Jeff coming out of his office. He approached Andros and Ashley.

"Hey, Mr. Freeman," Ashley greeted.

"Guys, Mr. Kaplan told me what Johnny did. I'm appalled he pulled a knife in your presence, Ashley. He could've decided to go after you if Andros hadn't been there," Jeff responded in much concern.

"I know, but I'm not afraid of that bastard. I may be pregnant, but I'm not fragile," Ashley pointed out.

"Your pregnancy is still in its early stages," Jeff commented seriously. "You need to keep your stress level down since Johnny could be bailed out of jail. That can cause you to have a—"

"I know!" Ashley snapped in irritation. She knew he was talking about miscarriage. "Jeez. Will everyone just quit reminding me of what I need to do? I'm capable of taking care of myself!" She sighed loudly.

"All right!" Jeff said, holding up his hands. "You didn't have to bite my head off!"

Ashley's anger turned into guilt. She grabbed a fistful of hair as Andros put his arm around her. He gave her a small hug while kissing her temple. He rubbed her arm gingerly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just tired of being reminded what to do since I am pregnant," Ashley mumbled in sadness.

Jeff adjusted his glasses somewhat. "It's just a habit. I am the teen parent program administrator after all."

Andros let go of his girlfriend. "It's good you're looking after us, but we'll be okay. We're getting restraining orders against Johnny."

"That's good. Of course, they aren't worth a crap unless they are enforced," Jeff said bluntly.

"We can take comfort in the fact that the police are on our side," Cassie said confidently. "This incident could've been blown off as nothing, but it wasn't."

"I can see that. Anyway, have a good day," Jeff said.

"You too," Leo replied, a small smile crossing his lips.

The students walked out the waiting room. They made a left turn and went down the empty hallway. Andros grabbed Ashley's hand.

"What a morning it has already been," Cassie muttered, touching the top of her head.

"No kidding. I'm grateful no one was hurt at all," Leo whispered in relief.

Andros scoffed. "I can't believe Johnny said to Mr. Kaplan that I should be in trouble along with him. I didn't even start the fight."

Ashley squeezed her boyfriend's hand. "I have to admit that I wanted to give Johnny the finger on both hands when I saw the arrogance on his face. I didn't because he wanted that."

"What he needs is a foot up his ass," Cassie said as she and her friends stopped in front of the stairs.

"Red from _That 70s Show_ could do that for us," Leo quipped and snickered under his breath.

"Yeah," Andros agreed and let go of Ashley's hand. He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you in history class." He gave her another hug.

"You too," Ashley replied lovingly. "Bye."

Andros, Cassie, and Leo watched Ashley walk left. Andros sighed heavily and looked away. He turned to Cassie when she touched his shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry. We'll see her in a little over an hour," Cassie assured.

"I know, but it's times like this I wish I was in her first period class," Andros mumbled dejectedly. "I could keep an eye on her."

"Well, we can't always get what we want," Leo said and cleared his throat. "Anyway, we shouldn't let class wait anymore."

"I agree," Andros said.

"So do I," Cassie said, taking her hand away from her friend's shoulder. "Let's get chemistry over with and pray Brian doesn't cause any trouble."

Andros let out a small yawn before smacking his lips. He, Cassie, and Leo raced upstairs.

00000

Mr. Wilton was writing about ionic equations on his classroom's whiteboard. His class copied his notes. Carlos stopped writing and looked at Andros, Cassie, and Leo's desks. He wondered when they would be here. He hoped Johnny got his just desserts for what he had done.

Carlos snapped out of his thoughts when the door opened. He and the other students looked at Andros, Cassie, and Leo coming into the classroom. Andros closed the door behind him. They approached Mr. Wilton, who stopped writing and gazed at them with a sympathetic look.

"It's nice to finally see you three. The class was talking about the fight you three were involved in with Johnny," Mr. Wilton greeted.

"Well, we had to deal with other stuff besides that," Andros said as he, Cassie, and Leo grabbed their slips from their pockets and gave them to their teacher.

"Johnny got suspended and arrested," Mr. Wilton said, looking over the slips. "I can't say I am surprised. I didn't think he'd be brave enough to bring a weapon on school property, though." He gazed at the quartet.

"Just watch out for another knife, Andros. You don't want one to cut your belt, so your pants fall down and reveal you are wearing polka-dotted boxer shorts! That'd be so embarrassing for you," Brian yelled, smirking at some students laughing.

"Why don't you mind your own business, Brian?" Cassie snapped as she, her friends, and her teacher glared at the troublemaker.

"Ooh. What a snippy girl," Brian taunted. "I hope you can be a little snippier."

"Why, you—" Cassie started.

"Cut it out, you two," Mr. Wilton said narrowed his eyes at Brian. "Brian, I don't want to deal with your shenanigans today. Andros, Cassie, and Leo had a hard morning. They don't need you to make it harder."

"Don't worry, teach. I'll keep my lips sealed," Brian said and pretended to lock his lips and throw away the key.

"You can ask questions during the lecture. Just don't bother anyone," Mr. Wilton warned and looked at the trio. "You better get to your seats. We just started on this lecture."

Andros, Cassie, and Leo nodded at their teacher. They went to their desks and took off their backpacks. They sat down before laying them on the floor. They unzipped them to get their notebooks and pencils. They placed them on their desks. They opened their notebooks and turned the pages until they reached empty ones. Mr. Wilton tossed the slips in the trashcan. He turned back to the whiteboard and resumed writing on it.

"Ionic equations are used for single and double displacement reactions that occur in aqueous solutions," Mr. Wilton said calmly. "For example, calcium chloride and silver nitrate are…"

As Mr. Wilton continued talking while writing the chemical equation for the mentioned compounds, the students returned to copying his notes. Andros, Cassie, and Leo were about to start when they heard a 'Psst!' They gazed at Carlos.

"What is it, Carlos?" Andros asked.

"Do you want us to get in trouble for talking in class?" Cassie added seriously.

Carlos shook his head. "No, but I just wanted to say I am so glad Johnny has gone to jail."

Leo snorted in a somewhat loud manner. "We are too, but we're getting restraining orders after we tell the parents what happened. I'm letting Mike and Maya know too."

"You know those things are—" Carlos started.

"We know, Carlos," Andros interrupted, sighing heavily. He knew Carlos was talking about restraining orders not being effective unless enforced. "Don't forget we can fight if we have to."

"I hope it doesn't come to that, but you never know," Cassie commented.

"Yeah. You never know," Brian sneered with a chuckle. He smirked at Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo glaring at him.

"Get lost, Brian. We weren't talking to you," Cassie snapped.

Brian clicked his tongue twice. "Still being snippy, aren't you, Cassie? You look cute when you do that."

"Don't even try to make a pass at me, you idiot," Cassie retorted through clenched teeth.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Brian joked.

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, Brian, stop your talking this instant," Mr. Wilton said as he stopped right. He turned around as Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian looked toward him.

"Sorry, sir," the five students apologized.

"Good," Mr. Wilton responded, snorting loudly. "Watch yourself, Brian. I've got my eye on you."

"Yes, sir," Brian said, saluting him.

Mr. Wilton rolled his eyes and faced the whiteboard. He mumbled inaudible words as he wrote on it once more.

"In the reaction, the calcium and nitrate ions remain in solution and are not part of it. These ions are identical on both the reactant and product side of the chemical equation. Because such ions do not participate in the reaction, they are called spectator ions. A net ionic equation is the full ionic equation from which the spectator ions have been removed," Mr. Wilton commented.

Cassie formed a small smile on her face. "The spectator ions seem like they watch from the sidelines, don't they?"

"You could say that, Cassie," Mr. Wilton agreed as he ceased his writing. He faced the class. "In a neutralization or acid/base reaction, the net ionic equation usually consists of the hydrogen and hydroxide ions." He turned to the whiteboard to write down the mentioned ions in a net ionic equation. "Those ions make up water."

"Since water is neither an acid nor a base, it is said to be pure," Cassie commented eagerly.

"That's right, Cassie," Mr. Wilton answered with a chuckle. He faced the class again. "I like your enthusiasm."

Brian rolled his eyes. "Talk about a teacher's pet."

"Hey, you are the one who needs to be on a leash, Brian," Leo said, looking toward the boy.

"Why don't you put that leash on yourself, Mr. Corbett?" Brian retorted, glaring at his rival. "Your brother should walk you."

"And you could use a walk yourself, Brian," Carlos commented, a scoff coming out of his mouth.

"No, I don't," Brian hissed as he shifted his attention toward him. He cringed at the students laughing.

"The students seem to think so," Cassie said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"How about I volunteer?" Andros quipped. The students burst into even louder laughter.

"All right, that's enough," Mr. Wilton said sternly. The students became quiet. "There are a few acid-base reactions that produce a precipitate in addition to the water molecule. An example is the reaction of barium hydroxide with phosphoric acid. It produces not only water but also the insoluble salt barium phosphate."

Mr. Wilton faced the whiteboard to write the ionic equation for the mentioned compounds. His students returned their attention to copying his notes.


	51. How About That

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I changed the time when bell rings to forty minutes after Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian arrive in detention in chapter twenty-two. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and Leo/Kendrix. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-two.

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Chapter 51: How About That

The bell rang thirty minutes later. Students started leaving the classrooms. Many went to their lockers while others headed for their next classes. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo exited Mr. Wilton's classroom and went left. Cassie patted her notebook as she held it against her.

"That was a very informative lecture that Mr. Wilton gave us," Carlos said, pressing his lips together.

"Who would've thought we'd learn so much about ionic equations?" Leo wondered.

"I remember when TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Ashley told me that Mr. Wilton was known to be very strict, Leo. I thought they were joking. I was wrong when I saw that stern look on his face on the first day of school," Andros admitted.

"He may be strict, but he is nice," Cassie commented in relief.

"He proved that when he told me he wouldn't judge me over my situation," Andros whispered with a small sniffle. "I wanted to give him a hug, but I didn't want to do it in front of the class." He chuckled nervously.

Carlos, Cassie, and Leo shrugged. Brian bumped into Andros as he passed him without excusing himself. The quartet came to a stop. Brian headed down the stairs while snapping his fingers.

"Hey, watch it, you jerk," Andros said in annoyance.

"If you ask me, he should put a sign on himself saying 'Wide load.' Then people would be able to avoid him," Cassie commented bluntly.

Carlos scratched his head. "But he isn't anywhere near fat."

"He may not be, but I'd like to see that," Leo replied.

Andros smiled lightly. "Ashley might have to do that once her belly gets large."

"That'd be funny to see," Carlos commented, laughing to himself.

"I read that babies start to move at sixteen weeks, but the movements may not be felt until twenty weeks," Andros said as he and his friends went toward the stairs.

"There is no doubt Ashley will experience more movement than most expectant mothers do," Leo said honestly.

Cassie chuckled. "Let's hope Andros doesn't have his hand broken when Ashley squeezes it very hard while she is in labor."

"Hey, someone else might have to deal with that because I may not be with her when she first goes into labor," Andros pointed out.

"Of course," Cassie agreed.

Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo went downstairs. They found TJ, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Justin, and Kendrix gathered at the bottom of the stairs. TJ, Ashley, and Justin were seated on the stairs. Zhane, Karone, and Kendrix stood next to the trashcan. The group looked up to see their friends reach the bottom. Ashley stood up and went to Andros's side.

"Hey, Andros," Ashley greeted and kissed Andros on the cheek.

"Hey yourself, Ash," Andros replied lovingly and hugged her tightly. "I missed you so much." He planted a kiss to her forehead. "Why can't we be in first period together? I could look after you if we were."

"I know, but I'm fine. Besides, this universe would be filled with chaos if everyone got what they wanted all the time," Ashley said, flicking his nose.

"Ain't that the truth?" Leo commented and laughed heartily.

"Don't say ain't, Leo! It's not a word!" Kendrix scolded playfully as he looked at her.

"I'll say ain't if I want to, Kendrix," Leo said, curling his hands into fists and placing them on his sides. "Ain't, ain't, ain't, ain't."

"You're impossible," Kendrix answered and made a weird noise.

"And proud of it," Leo said, chuckling lightly. "By the way, do you think I'd make a good Superman?"

"Definitely," Kendrix said, winking at him.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin gave shrugs. Andros tightened his hold on Ashley somewhat.

"I think bullies and troublemakers should be made to strip down to their undergarments and walk down the street. Then people could laugh at them. That'd be the ultimate humiliation for them," Cassie commented.

"Nelson laughed at a really tall man because he was in such a small car in _The Simpsons_. The man pulled down his pants and made him march. He got everyone to laugh at him. He told Nelson to wave to them and blow them kisses. Nelson did both and started crying like a baby," Justin said.

"I remember seeing that. Nelson deserved to be humiliated. He's done that to so many kids and adults throughout the show's run," Zhane said in a blunt manner.

Justin smacked his lips. "It's too bad that no one can flip each other off on that show because they all have only four fingers." He snorted quietly.

"Schools can't control what students do outside of them," TJ said, his voice showing much relief.

Andros turned to Ashley. "That includes having sex."

"I hope you aren't getting any ideas about that right now. Students and teachers don't need to hear about them!" Ashley said, feeling a little embarrassed as she looked at him.

"I'm not," Andros said, leaning close to her ear. "That doesn't mean I can't think about it."

Andros kissed the spot underneath Ashley's ear, which made her giggle. She pushed him away and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He let go of her, and they turned to the others. TJ and Justin stood up with light grunts.

"By the way, Johnny was sent to jail for having that knife," Leo announced and took his fists off his sides.

"Oh, thank God," Karone whispered in relief.

"Perhaps some time in jail will straighten him out," Justin commented.

"I wouldn't count on it," TJ mumbled seriously.

"You might as well not," a female voice said snobbishly.

The group winced loudly and looked toward Tara standing next to Ashley's locker. She approached them, smacking her gum.

"Tara, don't you know it's rude to smack your gum?" Karone growled irritatingly

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," Tara answered sarcastically. "I have to say it's too bad Johnny didn't cut your belt with his knife, Andros. Perhaps your falling pants would've revealed you were wearing pink underwear!" She laughed raucously.

Andros rolled his eyes and scoffed in annoyance. "Go ahead. Laugh your little head off, Tara. That doesn't erase the fact that Johnny committed a serious crime. Because he is an adult, he could get up to four years in jail for felony weapon possession."

"Employers don't look kindly on felons at all," Cassie added, giving a sharp nod.

"Daddy would be able to get me off if I committed a crime. When you're rich, you can hire the best lawyers. Whoever has the gold makes the rules," Tara said with a smirk.

"It might be true the elite can hire the best lawyers, but they don't always get them off for their crimes," Ashley pointed out seriously.

Tara snorted loudly, making the others cringe in disgust. "So says the slut who is pregnant with twins. You know fraternal twins can have two fathers."

"That might be true, but I am the father of both babies. Ashley is loyal to me. She always has been," Andros retorted, flaring his nostrils.

"You are truly pathetic for taking a part-time job at the Surf Spot. You're not making much money at all," Tara sneered.

"I'm making more money than most teens do at their first jobs. Adelle has told me many times that I am doing an excellent job. I could see you quitting a few days after getting hired by her because you could never handle messy tasks such as mopping and wiping tables," Andros said honestly.

Tara mouthed Andros's last sentence mockingly. He took deep breaths to keep himself calm. He wanted to go over and scream in her face so badly. Of course, he knew that was what she wanted. He decided not to bother.

"Andros is right. You think dealing with dirt is for poor people," Justin growled fiercely.

"That is very true. You people will be stuck at dead-end jobs for the rest of your lives, especially the little orphan and the expectant teen parents," Tara leered.

"I might be an orphan, but at least my uncle has given me a place to live," Kendrix said defiantly. "He won't even allow Erica to live at our house anymore because he knows she will treat me badly. She lives in her own apartment right now."

"Perhaps I'll get an apartment in the same building your sister lives in. I'd like to be friends with her," Tara commented with a malicious laugh.

"Who knows? She just might think she's too good to be your friend," Karone commented.

"That's what you think," Tara hissed in annoyance. "You guys just can't understand…"

As Tara continued to talk, Zhane glanced at her red-and-yellow tie-dye sneakers. He narrowed his eyes at them. The shoelaces started to untie themselves. Karone noticed this and struggled to keep herself from laughing. He made the shoelaces tie together in one big bow between Tara's sneakers. He looked at her once he was finished.

"That's why rich people are better than everyone else is," Tara said, turning her nose upward.

"Don't hold that nose so high, Tara," Leo warned.

"You'll drown if it rains," Kendrix added.

"Sure, I will. Now, if you will excuse me—" Tara said and turned to walk away, but she ended up tripping and falling flat on her face. The entire group burst into laughter. Some students stopped in their tracks and joined in on it.

"The only thing you're better at than we are is tripping over your own feet and falling on your face," Carlos joked.

The group laughed a little harder. Tara rolled over, appearing very humiliated. She looked at her tied-together shoelaces. She grew angry and looked at Andros, Zhane, and Karone. Everyone became quiet.

"One of you did this!" Tara blurted out.

Zhane raised his hand. "I did it with my telekinesis. You were too busy blabbing to even notice."

"What you need is a bigger attention span for Christmas," Karone said truthfully.

Cassie formed a big smirk on her face. "How about a little humility to go with that?"

"You're the ones who need humility," Tara leered and untied her shoelaces. She tied them properly and got up. "No matter what, I will always be better than you all are due to my wealth."

"Keep saying that," Ashley retorted with a scoff. "It will never make it true."

Tara huffed and walked off. She pushed two students aside as she passed them. They shook their heads and headed left.

"If Tara had a TV show, I bet no one would watch it due to her arrogance," TJ said and ran his tongue over his teeth.

"Who knows? People just might be entertained by it," Cassie said, cupping her chin in her hand.

"Perhaps," Kendrix said and looked at her watch. She let out a long whistle. "We'd better get to our next classes before we get detention." She turned to the others.

"I like that idea, Kendrix," Leo replied warmly.

"See you, guys," Ashley responded. She and Cassie went to their lockers. Andros, Carlos, and Kendrix headed down the hallway in front of the stairs. Leo, TJ, and Justin walked right. Zhane and Karone went left.


	52. Much Ado About Nothing

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Tommy/Kat and Jason/Emily. It's just a few more chapters until Zack, Trini, Kim, Ashley's grandparents, and TJ's grandfather make their first appearances. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-three.

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Chapter 52: Much Ado About Nothing

McDonald's was busy ten minutes after noon. Jason and Emily were waiting for their food at the third of five cash registers. They heard yelling and gazed at a middle-aged man arguing with a cashier at the fourth register. They turned away, their bodies tensing somewhat. A frustrated groan diverted their attention, and they looked over their shoulders at a young woman.

"This line needs to get moving! I'm tired of waiting!" the woman complained and stomped her foot.

"Ma'am, the workers are doing all they can to speed things up," Jason responded in a calm voice.

"They'll make a mess if they go into a rush," Emily added.

The woman sighed very impatiently. "I don't give a fuck about that! I want to eat right now!"

Emily showed some anger. "Watch your mouth, young lady."

"There are children present," Jason said, gesturing toward a girl standing next to her father at the second register.

"Oh, shut up. I can curse as much as I want to. I am within my rights because I am an adult. I don't care if there are children around," the woman sneered.

"It's our right to call you out," Emily retorted firmly.

The woman mouthed 'Fuck off' and looked away. Jason and Emily shifted their attention to the counter while sighing heavily. They had a feeling the woman was a spoiled brat who was allowed to do whatever she wanted by her parents. Though they cursed occasionally, they tried their best to not do it in front of children. They didn't want to influence them. Of course, it wasn't always possible, especially in fits of frustration. They saw two cashiers walk up to them with trays.

"Here is your food," the first cashier commented as she handed the first tray to Jason.

"We didn't mean to take so long," the second cashier said guiltily and gave the second tray to Emily.

"It's fine," Jason replied with much sympathy

"We weren't in any rush unlike some people," Emily said, peering at the woman in the corner of her eye.

"I see," the second cashier said, a somewhat nervous chuckle coming out of his mouth. "Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks," Jason said and winked at the cashiers. "I hope the rest of your day goes well."

"We do too," the first cashier answered.

Jason and Emily grabbed napkins at the end of the counter. They headed to the ketchup dispenser behind the lines. They grabbed two small paper cups each and squirted ketchup into them. They went toward the middle of the restaurant, where Tommy and Kat sat a booth. They sat across from them, setting their trays on the table.

"We didn't mean to take so long, guys," Jason said regretfully.

"Don't sweat it, bro," Tommy answered warmly. "We don't have to rush to eat since none of us have another class for two hours." He gave his best friend a wink.

Emily opened her straw to put it in her small diet sprite. "Unfortunately, an impatient woman cursed in the presence of a little girl." She scoffed in some anger.

Jason opened his straw and got it into his large diet coke. "What is with people cursing in front of children? Don't they realize they are setting a bad example for them?"

"They probably do. They just don't care. They believe they can do whatever they please and don't care who they step on to get what they want," Kat said, popping a fry into her mouth. She chewed quickly and swallowed with a quiet gulp.

"Everyone encounters people like that throughout their lives. There's nothing anyone can do about it," Tommy said bluntly and picked up his large diet sprite to take a sip. He laid it down.

"You're so right about that, Tommy," Kat answered. She grabbed her fish sandwich to take a bite out of it. She chewed slowly but surely before swallowing with a loud gulp. "You are so right."

Tommy chuckled. "Of course. I'm always right."

"Not always," Kat responded, placing her sandwich down as she looked at him.

"Uh-huh," Tommy said while nodding.

Kat shook her head. "Unh-unh."

Tommy tweaked Kat's nose. She waved her hand in front of his face. She raised it high and jerked it downward. He slapped her lightly on the cheek. She rushed two fingers forward, and he put his hand sideways between his eyes to block her. He pushed it down. Jason and Emily laughed, causing the couple to look at them.

"You two need to become the new Stooges," Jason suggested.

"Why don't you and Emily join us?" Tommy asked.

"You two would make just as great Stooges," Kat said, a giggle leaving her mouth.

"No, thanks," Emily said, shaking her head.

"Me neither. Emily and I would rather be Stooges in our own group," Jason commented, tapping his fingers on the table.

"What's wrong, bro? Are you chicken?" Tommy teased and made clucking sounds.

"It's ironic you called me chicken because you have that," Jason answered as he motioned toward Tommy's chicken sandwich.

"So does your dear Emily," Tommy said, gazing at Emily's box of chicken nuggets.

"So true," Emily agreed. She opened the box and grabbed a nugget. She dipped it in the ketchup and took a bite out of it. She chewed quickly and swallowed with a quiet gulp. "It's good too." She ate the rest of it.

The others started laughing aloud. People began staring at them, causing them to quiet down. Tommy emitted a long whistle. Jason removed the wrapper from his cheeseburger.

"I'll be right back, guys," Emily said as she stood up with a light grunt.

"Please, don't take too long. I don't want to be finished before you get back," Jason teased.

She giggled and gave him a loving smile. "Don't worry. I won't."

Tommy, Kat, and Jason watched Emily walk off. They turned back to their food. Jason picked up his cheeseburger and bit into it. He chewed and swallowed. He nodded in approval before putting it down.

"If you ask me, this place's cheeseburgers get better every time I come here," Jason commented honestly.

"The best part of the cheeseburger is the cheese," Kat commented thoughtfully. "There is never too much on the burger. The beef-n-cheddar sandwiches at Arby's have a little bit too much cheese on them occasionally."

Tommy gazed at his girlfriend. "You'd look cute with cheese all over your mouth."

Kat turned to her boyfriend with a delighted squeak. "So would you, little boy." She flicked his chin. "I love you."

"I love you too," Tommy replied and pushed her hand away. "Just don't throw the cheese from your sandwich in my face."

"I will if I want to," Kat retorted playfully.

Just then, Emily returned to her seat with two small mayo-filled cups. She put them down. She grabbed a nugget as she gazed at the others.

"I was getting a craving for mayo and wanted to try dipping my nuggets and fries in it," Emily said, dipping the nugget in the mayo.

"I hope this isn't a sign you're pregnant. You aren't very fond of mayo," Jason commented, raising his eyebrows.

"It's not, Jason. Besides, it's nearly impossible for me to get pregnant since we are using protection in the form of condoms and birth control. The same goes for Kat since she and Tommy are using both," Emily pointed out.

Jason gave her a serious look. "We've been lucky so far, but our luck may run out."

"I can see that," Emily said and bit into the nugget. She swallowed after chewing it up. She smacked her lips. "That was good."

Kat picked up her sandwich. "At least that tastes good to you." She bit into it, chewing quickly and swallowing with a loud gulp. "I could never eat fish with mayo, mustard, or ketchup on it. None of that stuff goes well with it in my view. I prefer tartar sauce on it."

Kat laid her sandwich down. Emily grabbed three fries to dip them in the mayo. She put them in her mouth and chewed slowly but surely. She swallowed with a loud gulp. Kat moved her straw in her large diet coke up and down five times.

"Andros and Ashley are courageous for giving up college to focus on raising their children," Tommy said honestly.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone work as hard as Andros did when we learned about the babies at the Surf Spot," Jason said.

"He is very lucky that Adelle pays him eight bucks an hour. Most employers start paying employees at minimum wage. In some states, they can pay teen employees less than that," Kat whispered in seriousness.

"That doesn't seem fair at all," Emily commented in sadness mixed with irritation. "Then again, the teens can't do anything about it."

Tommy dipped a fry into his ketchup. "I hope Andros and Ashley find well-paying jobs after they graduate." He placed it in his mouth to chew it. He swallowed before gulping quietly. "Children cost so much money now."

"They sure do. Moreover, it takes a lot to care about someone else more than you care about yourself, especially when you are still a kid," Emily said, sighing heavily.

Jason put his arm around her. "You got that from _Fifteen and Pregnant,_ didn't you?"

Emily giggled. "Yes, I did."

Jason kissed his girlfriend's temple and released his hold on her. Kat moved her straw in her coke up and down four times.

"What's crazy is some young parents think taking care of a baby is like a Huggies commercial," Kat mumbled, rolling her eyes. "They really have no idea what it takes to raise a kid."

"I've read that having students take care of dolls that behave like real babies will only encourage them to want to have children," Jason grumbled frustratingly.

"I know," Tommy agreed. "If a doll cries, it can be stuffed in a locker. That can't be done to a real crying baby. It's child abuse." He huffed to himself.

"Unfortunately, some parents have no problem leaving their babies to cry themselves to sleep in their cribs while they get wasted," Emily said, hints of anger showing in her voice.

"What's worse is the courts will actually grant custody of children to drug-addicted parents, even when it is proven they can't care for them. If the children die, the courts act like it's no big deal," Jason growled in great disgust.

"That is really messed up," Kat said, shuddering badly.

Tommy, Jason, and Emily voiced their agreement. They and Kat heard giggling. Tommy and Kat peered over their shoulders to see Veronica talking to Joanna on her cellphone while sitting at a booth behind them.

"Thanks to me, Mom, all of Angel Grove University knows about Ashley's pregnancy. I'll never forget how much fun it was listening to Mike, Maya, Leo, and Kendrix talk about it. Even better is I learned Ashley is carrying twins from Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily. They were talking about them at the booth in front of me. Andros and Ashley will be even bigger jokes on the college campus once everyone knows about their children," Veronica said, laughing raucously.

Tommy and Kat looked toward Jason and Emily as the snob became quiet and resumed talking to her mother. They were angry that Veronica had been the one to learn about Andros and Ashley's situation and spread it around their college campus. Tommy and Kat rose to their feet and went over to her. Veronica hung up and slipped the cellphone inside her purse.

"Veronica, you little bitch!" Kat yelled angrily.

"How dare you spread the news of Ashley's pregnancy around campus!" Tommy growled.

Veronica looked up at the couple with a smirk. "Well, well, if it isn't the kitty-cat and her white knight in shining armor."

Tommy clenched his teeth. "You had no right to do what you did. You've caused grief for Andros and Ashley."

"You're going to make everything worse for them!" Kat hissed.

"They deserve to have their little situation get worse. Don't you know that fraternal twins can have two fathers?" Veronica sneered as she stood up.

"Andros is the father of both babies. Ashley isn't the kind of woman who would cheat on her man!" Emily yelled, getting up along with Jason. They joined Tommy and Kat's side.

"On the other hand, you have cheated on every guy you have dated at college! It's no wonder you are seen as easy," Jason added in fierceness.

"You're just jealous because I have way more sexual experience than you four have," Veronica commented.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Who would want to be jealous of a real slut like you?"

"Emily is right. You've had too many sexual partners in a short amount of time. If you get pregnant, you may not even be sure who the real father is," Jason said seriously.

"So what if I don't know? My child won't need a father. I will raise it to be independent," Veronica leered.

"A child needs to have a father-figure in its life, especially if it is a girl. It is well known that girls raised by single mothers are more likely to have issues with men," Tommy pointed out.

Kat gave a sharp nod. "Boys raised by single mothers are more likely to end up in jail."

"Neither of those things will happen to my kids," Veronica declared as she grabbed her purse. "As for Andros and Ashley, they might as well never attend college. In fact, they should just drop out of school and start working at McDonald's. They'll flip hamburgers for the rest of their lives." She chuckled with malice. "Moreover, he'll dump her once he tires of her brats. The only way she will be able to make ends meet is to go on welfare."

"None of what you said will happen to Andros and Ashley. They are determined to finish high school and get well-paying jobs, so they can provide for their twins," Tommy said in determination.

Jason shook his finger at Veronica. "On the other hand, I can see you dumping your kids on your parents, so you can go out and have fun."

"A woman should have fun, even if she is a mother," Veronica responded with a smirk. "I deserve fun. Now, I need to go. I have class in less than an hour."

Veronica walked around Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily with her nose turned upward. The quartet turned around. Suddenly, she bumped into a middle-aged woman carrying a large coke, causing her to spill it all over her white blouse and on the floor. She yelled in anger and glared at the woman.

"You clumsy bitch!" Veronica snarled.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" the woman cried in guilt and put what remained of her coke on a nearby table. She grabbed a napkin and tried to wipe it off, but Veronica pushed her away.

"Get away from me!" Veronica yelled. She watched her grab her coke and walk away quickly. He heard laughter and glared at Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Trini. "Stop laughing! It isn't funny!"

"It may not be funny to you, but it is to us. Karma just got you," Tommy said bluntly.

"And you deserved every single bit of it!" Jason said, giving a sharp nod.

Kat giggled. "You should go to your dorm room and change. You don't want to go to class with a huge stain on your blouse, do you?" She smirked.

Veronica hissed in anger. "Oh, fuck off!"

Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily observed their rival storming out of the restaurant. They went back to their booth to sit down.

"That was so entertaining to watch," Tommy said with pride. "Unfortunately, it's likely Veronica will tell everyone at college about the twins."

"Mm-hmm. I do hope Veronica gets more karma in the future," Kat commented.

"Me too," Jason agreed.

"Me three. I hope her next dose of karma is even bigger than that one was," Emily said, a big smile forming on her face.

"Yep," Jason said, patting her shoulder. "Until then, we should enjoy the rest of our lunch."

Tommy, Kat, and Emily voiced their agreement. They and Jason proceeded to finish their lunch. A cashier took a mop to the spill. He placed a yellow sign saying 'Caution. Wet Floor' in big red letters on the floor. He started running the mop over the spill.


	53. Being Kind and Caring

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. It's looking very likely that Zack, Trini, and Kim will make their first appearances in the chapter after the next one. I can't wait to do that. This chapter has a bit of Leo/Kendrix. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-four.

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Chapter 53: Being Kind and Caring

Burger King was somewhat busy in the mid-afternoon. Leo was waiting at the second of four cash registers for his and Kendrix's small strawberry smoothies. Screaming caught his attention, and he gazed at a boy stomping his feet. The boy's mother tried to get him to stop without success. Leo looked away, his body turning a little tense. He heard a tongue click twice and looked over his shoulder at a middle-aged woman.

"Talk about a bratty kid, huh?" the woman asked.

"Unfortunately," Leo agreed with a nervous chuckle. "My parents would've taken me out of the building if my brother and I acted like that."

"So would have mine," the woman commented and scoffed to myself. "Kids don't know how to behave these days. I've seen a number of them run wild in a supermarket. Their parents do nothing to stop them."

Leo showed sympathy. "It's not just young mothers. Older mothers seem to have lost control of their kids too."

The woman nodded at him. "I agree. It's like the world has gone crazy with children defying authority at every turn."

"I believe it's because parents are more lenient with their children. They'd rather be their friends than teach them responsibility. They think discipline suppresses their creativity and imagination," Leo whispered, swallowing hard.

"You shouldn't let that discourage you from having kids when you're older," she said gently. "All it takes is a little common sense to keep them in line." She winked at him.

"That's true," he said while nodding slowly. "Do you have kids?"

"I don't, but plenty of my friends do," the woman answered honestly. "They have always been well-behaved. Of course, even the most well-behaved children act out." She smiled lightly. "It's in their nature to make mischief occasionally."

"I honestly believe some children can't help but make trouble," Leo commented, scratching the back of his neck. "I know several people who were like that as kids."

"Me too," the woman answered. "The good news is many mischievous kids grow up to be very mature adults."

"Yep," Leo said and laughed quietly. "Anyway, I better turn my attention back to the register before I realize my and my friend's smoothies are here."

"Sure," the woman said, giving a thumbs-up.

Leo shifted his attention back to the register. He rubbed his hands together, showing a bit of eagerness. Just then, a cashier approached him with two small cups and straws.

"Here are your drinks," the cashier said and handed the items to Leo. "I didn't mean for it to take so long."

"It's all right," Leo answered with much sympathy. "You can't be at two places at the same time."

"Unfortunately, some people think someone should be able to do so many things at once," the cashier mumbled and cringed somewhat.

"Not me," Leo said truthfully. "All I want is people to do their best on any task given." He smiled.

"That's good," the cashier commented. "Well, I hope you and your friend enjoy your smoothies."

"I have no doubt we will," Leo replied, chuckling to himself. "Thanks for making them. Have a good day."

"You too," the cashier said.

Leo headed toward the back of the restaurant, where Kendrix was seated at a booth. He sat across from her, setting the smoothies on the table. He gave her a straw.

"I didn't mean for it to take so long, Kendrix," Leo said guiltily.

"I don't mind waiting," Kendrix responded in a warm voice. "After all, good things come to those who wait."

Leo let out a sharp exhale. "That may be true, but some people are so impatient that it isn't funny." He rolled his eyes.

"No shit. My parents actually thought Erica was cute when she got impatient while we waited to be seated at a restaurant. If I acted that way, they were on me like bats out of hell," Kendrix muttered as they got their straws into their cups.

"Your parents were hypocrites to get on you for doing something wrong, yet they were fine with your sister doing the same," Leo said bluntly.

"I often pointed out their hypocrisy. They justified it by saying that Erica was a perfect little angel who had the right to do whatever she pleased," Kendrix hissed, appearing as if she were about to vomit.

"That included tormenting you," Leo whispered sadly.

Kendrix nodded at him. "Unfortunately."

Kendrix looked down, a sniffle escaping her mouth. Leo reached over and touched her hand. He rubbed it so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even touching it. She looked into his eyes.

"We can't choose our family members, but we can choose our friends," Leo whispered very gently.

"Oh, yes," Kendrix replied, nodding slowly. "I feel so lucky to have such wonderful friends. It's because of Cassie that I'm not lonely anymore." She formed a small smile on her face.

"Yeah. Cassie is a great girl. She looks delicate, but she is very tough," Leo commented.

"She handled Tara so well not once but twice. Both times were in the cafeteria," Kendrix said, snickering as she remembered Tara's getting sent to detention those two times.

"It was also funny watching her trip and fall flat on her face due to her shoelaces being tied together earlier today," Leo said, laughing as he took his hand away from her.

"All thanks to Zhane. Perhaps he, Andros, or Karone will undo a troublemaker's belt and cause their pants to fall down," Kendrix said, smiling as an image of Brian, Bianca, or Tara's pants falling down played in her mind.

"I'd love to see what they are wearing underneath their pants," Leo said and snickered to himself. "It's probably very unflattering."

Kendrix giggled while tightening her ponytail. She and Leo sipped their smoothies. They nodded in approval after they finished.

"There's nothing like a good Burger King strawberry smoothie," she commented.

"For sure," he agreed and smacked his lips. "The best part is the strawberries. They are out of this world."

She ran her tongue over her teeth. "Of course, you can't have too many strawberries."

He chuckled. "Nope. Then again, strawberries are cute like you are."

She blushed as red as a cherry. She tried hiding her face behind her hands, but it was to no avail. He laughed and shook his head while crossing his arms.

"Kendrix, I didn't mean for you to blush!" Leo blurted out.

"I can't help it when you say flattering things about me!" Kendrix shouted, the redness fading from her face.

"Well, you deserve it. You're one of the nicest girls I've ever met," Leo said with pride.

"Oh, you!" Kendrix growled playfully and placed her hands on the table. "Anyway, thanks for inviting me to come here with you. I wish your brother and his girlfriend could be with us." She sighed sadly.

"So do I, but they are attending their afternoon classes," Leo muttered, propping his head up with his elbow. "I can't call them and ask them to skip their classes, so we can get together. It's not right."

Kendrix sipped more of her smoothie. "At least they know about what Johnny did this morning."

"Mike gasped in shock when I told him about it over the phone just before I went to lunch. I heard Maya gasp as well," Leo responded seriously. "They didn't want to believe anyone would be stupid enough to bring a weapon on school property." His body tensed up somewhat. "It's times like this I'm glad I know their college schedules."

"If my parents were alive, I could see them making excuses if Erica had brought a weapon onto school property. They'd probably claim she didn't even know she brought it with her when she really did," Kendrix growled angrily.

Leo moved his straw up and down three times. "Talk about crazy."

"You said it. Erica always blames me when she loses friends she's made, but I don't care. She can kiss my ass for all I care," she said in a blunt manner.

"You might as well shout that out. Of course, people would stare at you if you did," he answered and snickered to himself.

"Let them stare. I'm not afraid of that bitch anymore," Kendrix said with much pride.

Leo gave his friend a thumbs-up, getting a giggle from her. They took small sips of their smoothies. They smacked their lips three times.

"Hey, is that Dennis Quaid down there?" Leo asked, looking over Kendrix's shoulder.

"Where?" Kendrix said, becoming excited and peered over her shoulder. She was unaware he was reaching for her straw. She became disappointed when she didn't see the actor. She turned back to see him holding it. She felt her jaw drop. "Hey, I can't believe you did that!"

"Gotcha!" Leo said and laughed delightfully. "For someone so smart, you seem to be rather gullible." He handed her the straw.

"Hey, I can't help it when someone mentions my favorite celebrities," Kendrix said, clearing her throat. "By the way, do you want to have a sword fight with our straws?"

"I say bring it on," Leo answered, grabbing his straw. "I will beat you. You can count on it." He smirked.

"Yeah, right," Kendrix retorted sarcastically.

The duo started having a sword fight with their straws. Leo swung his straw at Kendrix, missing when she pulled back. She poked his hand with hers. He retaliated by hitting her arm with his. They crossed their straws and resumed their play fight. They grunted and growled in a playful manner while staring each other down.

She hissed softly and gave his arm a gentle poke, only to get one from him in hers in retaliation. She poked him again, but it was on the hand this time. He made a determined face and swung his straw around, knocking hers out of her hand. He chuckled in victory as he pointed it at her, and she raised her hands in surrender.

"All right, you got me. I surrender," Kendrix announced.

"Good. Remember that I will always win," Leo said smugly as she grabbed her straw.

"Don't get smug," Kendrix warned sternly. They returned their straws to their cups. "You'll get bitten on the ass when you least expect it."

Leo narrowed his eyes at her. "I think that will happen to you first."

Kendrix laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, right."

He mouthed her words in a mocking manner. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he mimicked her with his. They pulled them back into their mouths.

"I have to admit that I am looking forward to the birth of Andros and Ashley's twins," Kendrix said in a warm voice.

"I know what you mean. It makes me wonder if they will choose godparents for them," Leo said thoughtfully.

She cupped her chin in her hand. "That's a nice thought. If something happens to Andros and Ashley, then their children will have someone to look after them."

"The question is who they would choose to be godparents," he commented curiously.

"Beats me," she replied, shrugging.

"I have no doubt Andros will be working hard at the Surf Spot this afternoon," Leo whispered honestly.

"Oh, yeah," Kendrix agreed. "I'm glad Adelle doesn't work him like a dog. Some bosses do that to their employees, especially teens." She scoffed. "Just because young workers have more energy than older workers do doesn't mean they have it all the time."

He let out a small yawn. "What's worse is some bosses will fire you for no reason at all. They won't tell you why, no matter how many times you ask."

"Some people get hired based on their looks, not their experience. It's true attractive people make more money, but beauty doesn't equal better ability," Kendrix pointed out in seriousness.

"You said it," Leo said matter-of-factly. "I wish I had been there to see the unhappy looks on the faces of the Surf Spot's new employees when they learned Andros got a few extra days off. I would've told them he deserved time off due to the bullies and that they need to get over it."

"Me too. By the way, I am thinking of ditching these glasses and getting contacts to wear," Kendrix said, removing her glasses.

Leo raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah," Kendrix answered with a nod. "I need to talk to my uncle about it. I'm sure he will like the idea." She put them back on.

"I'm sure he will too. You look pretty with glasses, but you will look even prettier without them," Leo said, warmth echoing from his voice.

Kendrix giggled lightly. "Thank you."

"Promise me one thing, Kendrix. Don't ever lose your beauty," Leo said softly.

"I won't," Kendrix whispered, a tear falling down her cheek. They started talking about their upcoming exams.


	54. A Night with a Food Craving

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. The next one will feature the first appearances of Zack, Trini, and Kim. Kelly may also appear. It's likely she will be a college student as she was thirteen when she appeared in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The first appearances of Ashley's grandparents, her aunt, and TJ's grandfather may occur in the two chapters after the next one. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-five.

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Chapter 54: A Night with a Food Craving

At the Johnson residence in the mid-evening, Andros and TJ were sitting on their beds while reading their music notes. The former mumbled inaudible words and turned to the eighth page. The latter turned to the tenth page. He straightened his green t-shirt.

Andros clicked his tongue four times. He learned that TJ and Ashley had told their parents about what Johnny did and the need to get restraining orders when they called him one after the other during his break. He also received word from his girlfriend that Jerome had told her, Cassie, and Leo Johnny's parents, Henry and Francesca, had bailed him out of jail after they got off work. The same went for Ashton and Anna's approval of his moving in with them.

Andros let out a quiet yet happy sigh. He was grateful to Ashton and Anna for allowing him to move in with them. He was looking forward to spending more time with Ashley, including making love with her. He hoped they wouldn't have to deal with either of her parents knocking on her door and telling them to keep their activity down. He yawned and smacked his lips twice. He heard chuckling and looked at TJ.

"I have to say you look rather tired," TJ said.

"Who wouldn't be tired after spending all day at school and working the afternoon shift at the Surf Spot?" Andros said and shrugged. "At least I didn't have to deal with any traffic going home."

"Of course, you didn't. You walked all the way home!" TJ blurted out.

"This little piggy went to market. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy had roast beef. This little piggy had none. This little piggy went 'Wee! Wee!' all the way home!" Andros said in a high voice.

TJ smirked. "You should suck up helium. You'd sound just like a chipmunk."

"No, thank you," Andros said, shaking his head.

"What's wrong, Andros, chicken?" TJ asked and began clucking as if he were a chicken.

"The only chicken I see here is you," Andros commented, pointing his finger at his friend.

"No way," TJ responded.

Andros raised an eyebrow. "Yes way."

TJ and Andros blew raspberries at each other. They turned their attention back to their notes. They decided to close their notebooks and lay them on the floor. They looked at each other.

"I am so glad I am done with my homework," Andros whispered in relief.

"So am I. You're lucky you got off work at seven o'clock every day, Andros. Many teen employees work until ten or eleven," TJ commented.

"That's late on a school night," Andros replied in amazement. "It can be hard for those teens to do their homework, especially if they have a lot of it."

"They find ways to manage it, including doing it at work," TJ said with a shrug.

"One thing is clear. I am excited about getting my first paycheck," Andros said very eagerly.

"Could I borrow some money from you?" TJ joked.

"Unh-unh. That money is meant for the babies," Andros responded, shaking his finger at the boy.

"Oh, come on!" TJ yelled, faking a sniffle. "I need money for braces!"

"Braces aren't more important than children are," Andros said, turning his nose upward. "You might as well deal with crooked teeth. You're not making me change my mind." He smirked.

"Thanks for not saying ain't," TJ said, sighing in relief. "It's annoying hearing it all the time."

"You want to know really annoys me? It's people saying, 'It don't matter.' It goes as 'It doesn't matter.' There are no plural words in that sentence," Andros grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"A job interviewer would look at an interviewee like he was a fool if he said, 'It don't matter.' If the job involved teaching English, I guarantee that he wouldn't get it if he talked like that," TJ commented. "All languages have very important grammar rules, especially English." He touched the top of his head.

"It sure does. Of course, many people don't listen to said language's rules and continue to use bad grammar. They think it makes them look cool," Andros muttered, an annoyed scoff leaving his mouth.

"Not me," TJ said honestly. "You will never hear me use bad grammar unless it's for humor."

"Good for you," Andros said in proudness.

TJ winked at his roommate. He looked toward the wall. He laid his hands on his knees and hit them in a rhythmic fashion. He did this for fifteen seconds before becoming still. He glanced at Andros.

"I'm going to miss having you as my roommate, Andros. This room won't be the same without you," TJ said truthfully.

"I'd love to stay, but Ashley and the children need me. It's best for me to be close to them," Andros whispered.

TJ nodded at him. "I understand. If you ever need to stay overnight, just give us a call. Your bed will be right there."

Andros smiled. "Thanks. I'd like to—"

The phone started ringing. Andros and TJ looked at theirs on the nightstand before shifting their attention toward each other. They both reached for it quickly, but the former managed to grab it on the second ring. Andros laughed in delight.

"I got the phone first!" Andros yelled.

TJ stuck his tongue out at him. "Lucky you."

Andros waved TJ off, getting a laugh from him after he pulled his tongue back into his mouth. He looked at the phone and placed it to his ear.

"Hello?" Andros asked.

 _"Hey, Andros,"_ Ashley said gleefully.

"Hey, Ashley," Andros responded very happily. "What's going on?"

 _"I was just calling to ask you a favor,"_ Ashley said, letting out a loud snort.

"What is that?" Andros wondered.

 _"Do you think you could go to Wendy's and get me a Frosty?"_ Ashley asked hopefully. _"I started getting a craving for one."_

TJ started snickering under his breath. Andros looked at him and waved him off. He turned his attention back to the phone.

"I'll go get that Frosty for you, Ash," Andros said eagerly.

Ashley squealed gleefully. _"Thank you so much."_

"I do want to warn you that it might take me some time to get to your house. Wendy's could be crowded," Andros pointed out.

 _"That's okay. I'm not in any rush,"_ Ashley answered.

Andros smiled. "Great. I'll see you in a little bit."

Andros placed the phone on its base. He stood up and headed to the closet. He opened it to get his leather jacket. He gazed at TJ while putting it on.

"I have a feeling Ashley is going to ask you to get something for her at fast food places often," TJ said.

"She might. She might not. Who knows?" Andros said as he zipped up his jacket. He went to the nightstand and opened the top drawer. He grabbed his keys before closing it. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Andros headed out of the room. He stopped in his tracks when he heard flushing. Karone came out of the bathroom. She walked up to him, furrowing her brow.

"Where are you going, bro?" Karone asked curiously.

"Ashley has a craving for a Wendy's Frosty. I'm going to get one for her," Andros answered and walked past her. He headed down the stairs.

"Are you going to get one for yourself?" Karone wondered.

"I don't know!" Andros called as he looked toward her. "Please, don't ask any more questions!"

"If you say so," Karone said with a laugh.

Andros reached the bottom of the stairs. He looked toward Ricky and Diane, who were watching _Captain Ron_ in the living room. He stopped at the front door. The couple gazed at him.

"Hey, I'm—" Andros started.

Ricky held up his hand. "We know where you are going. We heard you talking to Ashley upstairs."

Diane smiled. "Have fun getting the Frosty."

"Yeah, sure," Andros responded with a chuckle. "I'll be back soon. That is unless Ashley starts craving something else."

Andros unlocked the door. He opened it, its hinges squeaking a little bit. He walked outside. He closed it behind him before heading to his car. He got in and started the engine. He pulled out of the driveway and drove off.

00000

In the Hammond residence's living room ten minutes later, Ashley was watching _Overboard_ while sitting on the couch. She picked the remote up off the end table and turned up the volume somewhat. She returned it to its spot. Just then, Ashton and Anna came down the stairs. They came to their daughter's side. She looked at them as they sat on the couch.

"Still craving that Frosty, darling?" Ashton wondered.

"Very much so. Moreover, I've never been fond of Frosties," Ashley answered.

"I wonder what you will crave next. It'll probably be a very weird food combo," Anna teased and began giggling.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha," Ashley retorted sarcastically. "That was so funny that I died laughing, Mom." She stuck her tongue out at her mother.

Ashton pointed his finger at his daughter. "You better put that thing away, or I'll tie it around your head!"

"Okay," Ashley said and pulled her tongue back into her mouth. "If you two stick your tongues out at me, I will tie them around your heads."

Anna held up her hand. "Duly noted."

The family shared a laugh. Ashton and Anna laid their hands in their laps. They looked toward the window for a long moment before turning back to Ashley.

"It'll be nice to see Andros when he brings you your Frosty," Ashton commented eagerly.

Anna scratched her leg, followed by her neck. "It sure will. He hasn't even been working at the Surf Spot a week, and he is already getting a great deal of praise from Adelle."

Ashton touched his wife's shoulder. "I wish I could've seen the unhappy looks on the new employees' faces when they learned Andros was getting extra days off. I would've told them to get the fuck over it."

"Me too, Dad," Ashley agreed. "I do wish my and Andros's Christmas cabin trip was going on right now. I just want to get away from all the bullying."

"Don't worry. It'll be here. You'll get to do whatever you want at the cabin," Anna said warmly.

"I have no doubt that it will include lots of sex," Ashton added.

Ashley nodded. "Yep."

Ashton and Anna looked at each other with shrugs. They were glad that the loss of Andros and Ashley's virginities hadn't been meaningless. If there was one thing they didn't like, it was people bragging about their sexual encounters, especially when they had them unprotected. They turned to Ashley. They cupped their chins in their hands. They appeared to be deep in thought. Suddenly, an idea clicked in their heads.

"Ashley, how would you like Andros to stay overnight tonight?" Ashton suggested.

"Really, Dad? I mean, it is a school night," Ashley pointed out.

"It's okay. Besides, he needs to start getting familiar with staying in our home since he will be moving in after Christmas," Anna explained.

"He can go home after he wakes up, so he can get ready for school," Ashton added with a sweet smile.

"Okay," Ashley answered with a nod. "I'd love for him to stay."

"By the way, Andros is sleeping with you in your bed when he moves in with us. He needs to be with his twins' mother," Anna said, winking at her daughter.

"Thank you," Ashley whispered, tears filling her eyes. "Thank you so much."

"I'm going to call the Johnsons right now and ask them if they are okay with this," Ashton said, standing up and going over to the cordless phone.

"Just don't let the phone eat you," Anna joked.

Ashton waved his wife off as he grabbed the phone and turned it on. He dialed the Johnson residence's number as he put it to his ear. He listened to two rings before a click came.

 _"Hello?"_ Ricky said.

"Hey, Ricky," Ashton greeted.

Ricky laughed delightfully. _"Hey yourself, Ashton. Why are you calling, to give me an offer for a credit card?"_

"I wish," Ashton joked with a snicker. "Anyway, I was calling to ask you something."

 _"What is it?"_ Ricky asked curiously.

"Would you be all right with Andros staying overnight?" Ashton wondered. "It'd save him from having to go back home. My family and I want him to get familiar with staying in our home."

 _"I say that's a good idea,"_ Ricky said in a warm voice.

Ashton chuckled excitedly. "Great! I'll ask him when he gets here. I'll call you back with his decision. Thank you."

 _"Okay. I'll talk to you in a few minutes,"_ Ricky commented.

Ashton turned off the phone and put it back on its base. Just then, the sound of an approaching vehicle came out of nowhere. The engine being turned off came next, followed by an opening and closing door. He walked to the front door and unlocked it. Anna and Ashley stood up with a light grunt. He opened it to see Andros coming toward him with a large Frosty in his hand. A spoon was in the cup.

"Hi, Andros," Ashton greeted and stepped aside, allowing the young man to come in. He closed the door and locked it.

"Thanks," Andros said and approached Ashley. He gave the treat to her. "I didn't mean to take so long. The drive-through had a long line." He scoffed.

"It's all right," Ashley replied and kissed him on the cheek. She grabbed the spoon and placed a spoonful of Frosty in her mouth. She chewed quickly and swallowed with a loud gulp. "That's really good. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Andros responded, giving her a kiss to her forehead. Ashton walked up to him.

"Andros, we thought we'd let you stay with us overnight," Ashton said, putting his hands behind his back.

"Really? You're serious?" Andros asked in much surprise.

"Yeah. I spoke with TJ's father on the phone a minute ago. He said he was okay with it," Ashton explained.

"It'd save you from having to drive back," Anna added.

"All right, I'll stay," Andros said in eagerness.

"Okay. I will call him back," Ashton said and went to the cordless phone to grab it. He turned it on and proceeded to dial the same number.

"By the way, you're sleeping in my daughter's room. You're not sleeping on the couch," Anna commented firmly. "You're also sleeping there when you move in with us. You need to be with the mother of your kids."

"Well, thank you," Andros answered and gazed at Ashley. "I guess we should go upstairs." He chuckled.

"Oh, yes," Ashley said, giggling lightly as she ate more of her Frosty.

The lovebirds headed upstairs. They went down the hallway, slipping into the third room on the right, which happened to be Ashley's room. Andros approached the desk chair and unzipped his jacket. He placed it over its back. He glanced at Ashley, who sat on the bed.

"I have to admit this feels a little weird. I never thought your parents would ask me to stay overnight on a school night," Andros said, taking off his white tennis shoes.

Ashley shrugged. "Me neither. Then again, we can do lots of talking and cuddling until it's time to go to sleep."

Andros went over to sit next to her on the bed. "Provided that you finish your Frosty first. Don't worry. I'll throw it in the kitchen trashcan once you're finished."

"Thanks," Ashley whispered as she ate another spoonful of Frosty. "I love you."

"I love you too," Andros answered and scooted over to kiss her forehead. They looked into each other's eyes after he pulled back. "So, when will your parents start creating the nursery?"

"Dad said he'd start doing some measuring in the guest room this weekend. Mom wants me to use the same rocking chair she used when I was a baby," Ashley explained.

"Oh, I see," Andros whispered with a nod. "Do you think the twins should sleep in cribs or cradles?"

"Cradles would be best for the first three to four months since their rocking motion would calm the twins. Then we need to switch to cribs since babies are able to roll over by then and can tip the cradles. I read all this on the internet last night," Ashley answered.

Andros placed his arm around her. "All of that sounds good."

Ashley leaned into his embrace. "Wonderful."

The couple heard a clearing throat. They looked toward Ashton, who stood in the doorway.

"I just got off the phone. TJ's father wanted me to tell you he said good night," Ashton said.

"Thanks. Good night, Mr. Hammond," Andros answered.

"Good night, Dad," Ashley added.

"Good night, kids," Ashton said and closed the door as he walked out of the room. He went to the bathroom.


	55. Getting Ready For the Christmas Party

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. Zack, Trini, and Kim finally make their first appearances. Ashley's grandparents and her aunt will appear in the next one. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley, TJ/Cassie, Jason/Emily, Zack/Trini, and Mike/Maya. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-six.

XXXXX

Chapter 55: Getting Ready For the Christmas Party

The Surf Spot bristled with people preparing for its annual Christmas party at midmorning on the day before Christmas Eve. Andros, Ashley, TJ, and Cassie were sorting out branches from a big tree in the spot where the table below the bar was usually located. Zhane, Karone, Carlos, and Justin sorted out a string of lights nearby. So did Adelle, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Bulk with another one. Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily worked on hanging ribbons on the pool table. Leo and Kendrix attempted to untangle a string of tinsel close to them.

Andros mumbled inaudible words as he looked at a branch he was holding. He, Ashley, Cassie, and Leo filed petitions to get restraining orders after they testified at Johnny's expulsion hearing three days after the knife incident. Their testimony resulted in him being expelled from school. Their requests were granted in which they stated Johnny was not to come within three hundred feet of their homes as well as he was to appear in court on January 10 to enter his plea for felony weapon possession. He received word from Tommy that Zack, Trini, and Kim had arrived in town yesterday and told the others, including Leo and Kendrix. Zack was staying with his parents, Brad and Sara. So were Trini with her parents, Kenny and Diana, and Kim with her father, Robert.

Kendrix managed to get part of the tinsel untangled. She asked Carl if she could get contacts, so she wouldn't have to wear her glasses anymore when she came home from school the day of the knife incident. He said she could. He made an appointment with an eye doctor named Lydia Lyman for an examination on January 8. He told her he was going with her, and she didn't mind that.

Skull hummed as he placed a nail against the wall while standing on a ladder at its halfway point near the doorway. He heard joyful chatter and looked toward Silvy and her mother, Julie. Julie spoke inaudible words to her daughter and walked away. Skull turned back to the nail. He hammered it until it was halfway into the wall. He chuckled happily and climbed down to grab a wreath. He went back up to hang it on the nail. He smiled in satisfaction at his work.

"There. That wreath shouldn't fall off anytime soon," Skull said proudly.

Unfortunately, the nail came loose, sending it and the wreath to the floor. Skull let out a frustrated grunt and climbed down to get the nail. He got back on and set it up for hammering into the wall. He ended up hitting his thumb instead, which caused him to drop it. He yelped painfully, waving his hand about as he grimaced. Bulk approached him, raising his eyebrows.

"Did you hit your thumb with the hammer, Skull?" Bulk asked curiously.

"No, I hit the wall," Skull responded sarcastically. "Of course, I hit my thumb!"

"Okay! I was just asking!" Bulk retorted, holding up his hands. "There was no need for sarcasm."

"I'm sorry, Bulkie," Skull muttered regretfully. "I hate it when I hit my thumb with a hammer. It hurts." He winced in pain.

Bulk showed sympathy. "Hey, I do it all the time when I help my dad build things. It's never pleasant, but I hardly complain. I'll tell you what. You get some ice for your thumb, and I'll try to hang the wreath."

Skull nodded at him. "Okay."

Skull climbed down the ladder and handed Bulk the hammer and nail. Bulk picked up the wreath, examining it closely. He went up the ladder after putting it down. He licked his lips. He hammered the nail into the wall. Skull came up behind Adelle to tap her on the shoulder. The businesswoman turned around quickly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Adelle, but I was wondering where the ice was," Skull said.

"The ice is in the back of the kitchen, Skull. Why, did you hit your thumb?" Adelle wondered.

"Unfortunately, yes," Skull mumbled in embarrassment.

"That's a drag. You should see me. I hit my thumb with a hammer all the time when I put nails in walls. It does hurt, but putting ice on it makes it feel better," Adelle said. "By the way, why don't you wait here while I get the ice for you?"

"All right. Thanks, Adelle," Skull whispered with a smile.

Adelle winked at the former bully and headed behind the bar. Skull placed his hands on his hips, chuckling to himself. Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya came up beside him.

"It's really nice of Adelle to get you some ice," Adam commented, running his fingers through his hair.

"No doubt about it," Skull replied, imitating a hyena's laugh. "I'm really lucky to have her as a friend."

"We feel pretty lucky too," Aisha added.

"Yep, yep, yep," Tanya said and laughed.

"We should get back to untangling the lights before they grow legs and crawl away," Rocky joked.

Aisha slapped Rocky on the arm. They, Adam, and Tanya got back to work, chatting to each other. Adelle arrived with a tied-up rag of ice. She handed it to Skull, who put it on his thumb. Skull sighed in relief as the pain faded away.

"That feels so much better," Skull whispered.

"Great. I better get back to work," Adelle said.

Skull winked at her. "Sure. Thanks again."

Adelle watched Skull walk away before going back to work. Bulk hung the wreath on the nail and climbed down the ladder. All of a sudden, Silvy rushed past him with Leo and Kendrix's tinsel. Bulk lost his balance, colliding with the ladder. He landed on his butt, and the ladder tipped over and hit the wreath. The wreath slipped off the nail, landing on the floor behind him. Leo and Kendrix chased after her, skidding to a halt.

"Silvy, get back here with that tinsel!" Leo shouted.

"We mean it!" Kendrix yelled.

Silvy looked over her shoulder and blew a raspberry at the duo. She raced out the exit. She managed to make it outside the building very quickly. Leo and Kendrix resumed chasing after her. They went outside and headed right, passing a trashcan. Silvy peered out from behind it and laughed heartily.

"That got rid of those two!" Silvy blurted out. Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind by the teens. She struggled against their grip to no avail.

"Give up, struggling. You're not going anywhere," Kendrix said bluntly.

"All right, you got me," Silvy muttered and looked up at the teens. "I can't believe you caught me!"

Leo took the tinsel from her. "Serves you right, you rascal!"

"It's no wonder your mother considers you such a handful," Kendrix said, narrowing her eyes at the young girl.

Silvy lowered her head in shame. "Sorry."

"But we care about you, anyway. Just don't take the tinsel again, okay?" Leo asked.

Silvy looked up and nodded at Leo. They and Kendrix started heading back toward the Surf Spot. They spotted Mike and Maya coming toward them. All of them stopped in front of the entrance.

"Mike, Maya, hi," Kendrix greeted.

"Let me guess. Silvy led you two on a wild chase," Mike said, crossing his arms.

"Yes, she did," Leo said, gazing down at Silvy, who turned to Mike and giggled mischievously.

Mike gave the young girl a mock angry expression. "Silvy, you little monster! How dare you make trouble for my brother and his friend!"

Silvy faked crying. "I'm sorry, Mike. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course, cutie pie," Mike replied and tickled her nose, making her giggle softly.

"Silvy, I want to you to meet Maya, Mike's girlfriend. She's the girl from Mirinoi I told you about. Maya, this is Silvy Larson. She's the girl who discovered Andros and Carlos were Power Rangers I told you about," Leo introduced.

Maya held out her hand. "Hi, Silvy. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Maya," Silvy commented, shaking the young woman's hand. "You're cute."

"So are you," Maya said.

"All right, let's go inside," Leo said, patting the little girl's shoulder.

The entire group went through the entrance and headed back toward the main room. They entered it as Julie approached them with a box of gift bows.

"Mrs. Larson, Silvy—" Kendrix started.

"Don't tell me. Silvy led you and Leo on a wild chase when she took your tinsel, Kendrix," Julie interrupted swiftly.

"Unfortunately," Leo answered truthfully.

"Silvy, I swear that you are most mischievous girl I have ever known," Julie scolded, looking at her daughter. "You're always doing something when I leave you."

"I just can't help but do mischievous things," Silvy replied, putting her hands behind her back.

"I'll tell you what. We'll play with some tinsel later, okay?" Julie asked.

"Sure, Mom," Silvy said while nodding slowly. "That is unless I decide to be mischievous again." She giggled.

"You rascal," Julie said and turned to Maya. "You must be—"

"Yes, I'm Maya, Mike's girlfriend," Maya answered, holding out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Maya. I'm Julie, Silvy's mother," Julie replied, shaking Maya's hand. "Leo has told me all about you. He's one of my students. Mike was too."

"Mike told me that once," Maya answered, gazing at Mike. "There's probably more I don't know about him." She chuckled.

"Isn't there?" Julie agreed with a laugh. "Come on, Silvy. Let's go work on these gift bows."

Julie and Silvy walked away. Just then, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin approached Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya.

"Leo, Kendrix, is that—" Andros started.

Kendrix nodded at her friend. "Yes, Andros. This is Mike and Maya."

"Mike, Maya, I'd like you to meet Andros Parker, Ashley Hammond, Zhane Hardy, Karone Parker, TJ Johnson, Cassie Chan, Carlos Vallerte, and Justin Stewart," Leo said, motioning to each of his friends. "Guys, this is Mike and Maya."

"It's nice to finally meet you guys," Mike said, shaking each of the teens' hands. Maya followed suit.

"We've heard so much about you from Leo," Maya added. She glanced at Ashley. "Ashley, you are really glowing. Motherhood suits you."

Ashley chuckled in happiness as she touched her stomach. "Thanks, Maya."

"You're welcome," Maya answered. "If any idiots tell you and Andros you're too young to be parents, just ignore them. You'll do just fine."

"We hear that a lot from our friends and family," Andros said honestly.

"Come on, Mike, Maya," Leo said, walking toward Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily. "I want to introduce you to my other friends."

Mike and Maya followed Leo close behind. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin returned to their tasks.

00000

Andros, Ashley TJ, and Carlos were more than halfway done with putting the tree together nearly an hour later. Cassie, Zhane, Karone, and Justin brought over boxes of ornaments. They set them on the floor. They, Andros, TJ, and Carlos watched Emily run past them with Jason on her tail. Jason had a string of tinsel in his hands.

"You can't catch me, Jason!" Emily squealed in delight.

"You want to bet?" Jason said and increased his pace. He managed to catch up to her in front of the pool table and grabbed her arm. He turned her around and put the tinsel around her neck. "I told you I'd get you, didn't I?"

"You did," Emily admitted. She took off the tinsel and put it around his neck. "Now, you can wear the tinsel." She winked at him.

"Maybe later," Jason said, removing it. "You want to get a smoothie to drink?"

"Sure," Emily answered.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin watched the couple go to the bar, where Adelle was talking with Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya. Jason and Emily stopped there as the businesswoman looked at them. They told her what they wanted, and she nodded at them and went to the kitchen. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin looked at each other.

"I wish we could do what Jason and Emily just did, Ash," Andros said.

"I do too. I'll probably be able to use my stomach as a table once I get into the later part of my pregnancy," Ashley responded.

Andros put his arm around her. "Perhaps."

Zhane smirked. "I've got an idea. Make Ashley wear a t-shirt that says, 'Wide load.' That will help people avoid her big belly." He snickered.

"How about we fatten you up and make you wear that t-shirt, Zhane?" TJ suggested, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"I think that it'd be better to fatten up Carlos and Justin and make them wear those t-shirts," Zhane commented.

"Hey!" Carlos and Justin yelled.

"Hey, it was just a thought," Zhane said with a shrug.

"A funny thought at that," a male voice said.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin recognized the voice. They looked toward Zack, Trini, and Kim, who stood in front of the entrance. They gasped in excitement.

"Zack, Trini, Kim!" Ashley exclaimed as she went over to her friends. The others were right behind her. She gave Zack, Trini, and Kim hugs. So did Cassie and Karone. "It's so good to see you three!"

"It's good to see you too, Ashley," Zack answered and let out a long whistle. "You look good for a woman carrying twins."

Andros rolled his eyes. "Hey, she's just two months along, Zack. It could be a long while before she starts showing."

"Of course, man," Zack said, giving Andros, Zhane, TJ, Carlos, and Justin high-fives. Trini and Kim gave the young men hugs.

"So, when did you three get up?" Carlos wondered.

Trini chuckled. "At nine o'clock. I felt like a sack of potatoes when I first woke up. Zack admitted that to Kim and me when they met with me at my house."

"He has always been a sack of potatoes," Kim commented and started snickering.

"Hey, I'm not always like a sack of potatoes," Zack retorted, giving Trini and Kim a mock glare.

"Accept the truth, Zacky-boy," Trini said, flicking his chin. "You can't deny it."

Zack slipped his arm around Trini, giving her a kiss to her temple. He started dating Angela in May 1994. After revealing to her he was chosen to attend the World Peace Conference in October, they decided to end their relationship. After the conference ended in April 1996, he and Trini decided to stay in New York City and finish high school there. They moved in with James and Ellie Lars, who were friends of her parents, and attended Rockroad High School.

Zack and Trini began attending New York University in August after graduation. He aimed for a degree in theater. She decided to get one in wildlife biology. They began dating in January 1998. On February 8, 1999, they were involved in a drunk driving crash while returning to campus from a date. The driver ran the red light and slammed into her red Mercedes as she was going through the green light at an intersection. They suffered only minor injuries. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence after her blood alcohol level was found to be one-and-a-half times the legal limit. She had her license restricted to driving to and from work for a year and was sentenced to two days in jail.

Trini waved her hand in front of her boyfriend's face. She raised it high before jerking it downward. Zack slapped his girlfriend on the cheek after letting go of her. He tweaked her nose and acted as if he were pulling her underwear over her head. She felt around as if she were blind. He pretended to put her underwear back in its place. Kim cleared her throat, and they looked at her.

"You two better stop goofing around. It's getting annoying," Kim growled playfully.

"Oh, go kiss a moving train, Kim," Trini replied and stuck her tongue out at her best friend.

Kim blew a raspberry at her. "You should go kiss that moving train, Trini."

Kim laughed gleefully. She met Tyler not long after arriving in Miami to train for the Pan Global Games in November 1995. As the months passed, she found herself falling for him. She made the difficult decision to end her relationship with Tommy via letter. She and Tyler participated in the Pan Global Games in May 1996. They won one silver medal each. They went on to the Atlanta Olympics, where they won two gold medals each. They started training for the 2000 Sydney Olympics soon after. They ended their relationship in December 1998.

Kim and Trini grabbed their ears and stuck out their tongues. They moved their heads from side to side. Funny noises came out of their mouths. Zack, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin laughed raucously. All of them became quiet when they heard a clearing throat. Kim and Trini became still and let go of their ears. They pulled their tongues back into their mouths and looked toward Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, Tanya, Bulk, and Skull standing a short distance away.

"It's a crime to make faces like that, ladies," Jason warned playfully.

"It's a crime we are willing to commit, Jason," Trini replied proudly.

Zack, Trini, and Kim went over to the group. Trini and Kim gave everyone hugs. Zack did the same with Kat, Emily, Aisha, and Tanya. He high-fived Tommy, Jason, Rocky, Adam, Bulk, and Skull.

"It's so great to see you three," Tommy said happily.

"It's great to see you too, Tommy," Kim responded sweetly. "Even better is the whole gang is together for Christmas with the exception of Billy."

Rocky chuckled. "Just don't shoot your eye out, Kimmy."

"I think you better not shoot your eye out, Ape-man," Adam said, crossing his eyes.

"The same goes for you, Frog Boy," Rocky retorted, gazing at his friend.

Adam mock-glared him. "Sure thing."

Rocky and Adam growled at each other in a playful manner. Just then, Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, and Adelle walked up to everyone. Rocky and Adam looked at them.

"Zack, Trini, Kim, I'd like to you meet Leo Corbett, Kendrix Morgan, Mike Corbett, and Maya. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, this is Zack Taylor, Trini Kwan, and Kimberly Hart," Andros introduced, motioning to each of his friends. "Leo and Mike are brothers. Maya is Mike's girlfriend from Mirinoi on a planet exchange."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you all," Leo said, shaking the hands of Zack, Trini, and Kim. Kendrix, Mike, and Maya followed suit.

"Andros told us about you," Kendrix said in a warm voice. "Kim, you are so lucky to be training with Coach Schmidt. I've heard how great he is."

Kim laughed delightfully. "It's not every day a young person from the birthplace of the Power Rangers gets to be chosen for such an honor."

Trini smiled. "Moreover, we didn't expect to meet someone in the planet exchange program."

"I didn't expect to meet seventeen Power Rangers," Maya said gleefully.

"Neither did I," Mike admitted, ruffling Maya's hair.

"Nobody does," Adelle said with a chuckle. "By the way, it's nice to see you, Zack, Trini, Kim."

Zack nodded at her. "You too, Adelle. Now, let's get going on getting this place ready for the party."

The crowd departed. Zack, Trini, Kim, Zhane, and Cassie went to sort out the ornaments. Andros, Ashley, TJ, and Carlos returned to putting the tree together. Leo, Kendrix, Adam, and Tanya decided to help them. Jason and Emily went to the bar to finish their smoothies. Tommy, Kat, Rocky, and Aisha asked Adelle to make some for them. She nodded at them and headed to the kitchen. They went to the table in front of the bar to sit down.

Mike and Maya felt someone stick objects to their shoulders. They pulled them off to see gift bows. They turned around to face a giggling Silvy. They stuck the bows to her shoulders and started tickling her sides. She shrieked with laughter. The couple ceased their tickle attack before ruffling her hair. They went to help Julie, Bulk, and Skull with stapling tinsel along the bottom of the wall.

00000

Andros, Ashley, Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, Bulk, and Skull were decorating the finished tree twenty minutes later. Zack, Trini, Kim, Zhane, and Karone sorted out more ornaments in three boxes near them. Tommy, Kat, Rocky, and Aisha finished their smoothies and stood up. They headed out the exit and went to the restrooms. Adelle grabbed their cups and took them to the kitchen.

TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin sat at the bar in the first four stools, sipping smoothies. Jason hammered a nail into the middle of the wall next to the bar while Emily held a wreath. She handed the wreath to him once he was finished. He hung it on the wall, and he high-fived her. They shared a laugh. They saw Julie and Silvy walk past them with tinsel in their hands. Julie and Silvy went past the group standing at the tree. It stopped decorating to watch them.

"Talk about a fun-loving mother-daughter duo," Kendrix commented cheerfully as she and her friends turned back to the tree. She hung a rocking horse on a branch in the middle of it.

"They remind me a lot of when I was young. I always walked around with the tinsel when I helped my parents decorate our tree. I often hid it where they couldn't find it," Leo said.

"Where was that, Leo?" Kendrix asked curiously.

Leo shook his head. "I'm sorry, Kendrix. Magicians never reveal their tricks."

"He usually hid it in the trashcan outside," Mike whispered, eyeing Leo.

"Aw, Mike! You revealed the secret!" Leo shouted, a mock annoyed look crossing his face.

Mike laughed gleefully. "Hey, Kendrix wanted to know, bro!"

Leo went over to Mike. He tweaked his nose, getting a punch to the shoulder from him. He grabbed tinsel out of a large box and hit him in the face with it. Mike snatched it out of his brother's hand and wrapped it around his neck. He put some on top of his head.

"Now, you look like a little Christmas tree!" Mike said proudly.

Leo laughed in sarcasm. "Sure, I do."

Leo removed the tinsel and put it back in the box. He ruffled Mike's hair, and his brother gave him a noogie in retaliation. He returned to his spot next to Kendrix. Maya got a bear from the box and hung it on a branch near the top of the tree. Mike placed a bell close to it. He straightened the string after it got tangled up somewhat. She gave him a small smile.

"You picked a nice spot for that bear, Mike," Maya said sweetly.

"Thanks, Maya," Mike replied and smiled at his girlfriend.

Bulk hung a teardrop on a branch in the middle of a tree. "I never saw myself spending time helping get a place ready for Christmas. I would've laughed at the thought of it three years ago."

"Me too, Bulkie. Time really changes people, doesn't it?" Skull wondered.

"Yep," Ashley agreed. "I have to admit I will miss attending Angel Grove High." She sniffled. "It's been like a home to me."

Andros slipped his arm around his girlfriend. "It has to me too. We do have the birth of our children to look forward to."

"Oh, yeah," Ashley said lovingly.

Andros kissed his girlfriend tenderly. They rubbed noses before pressing their foreheads together. They resumed hanging ornaments on the tree. Mike placed a stocking near the bottom of the tree. So did Maya with a sleigh. She looked at the stocking.

"That's a cute stocking," Maya commented.

"No doubt about it, Maya. My favorite ornament has always been the stocking. My parents have several of them at home. We usually hang them at the bottom of the tree," Mike said.

"It's the best spot because they aren't heavy at all," Andros said honestly. "Could you imagine what might happen if you hung a really heavy ornament there?"

"Yes," Skull said as Andros glanced toward him. "You'd be yelling, 'Timber!'"

Skull imitated a falling tree by moving his arm downward and making a crashing sound. He made a goofy face and held up his hands, which caused the others to laugh.

"Remember, Skull. Watch out for that falling tree," Ashley said.

"Don't worry, Ash. I will," Skull said, standing tall and proud.

The rest of the group laughed. Suddenly, twenty-year-old Erica walked into the room, causing everyone to stop what he or she was doing and look toward her. An arrogant expression was on her face, almost as if she were expecting a parade for her arrival. She resembled Kendrix, except she wasn't wearing glasses and had brown eyes, short blond hair, and a muscular frame. She spotted Kendrix and approached her.

"Well, well, if it isn't my little sister helping to decorate the Surf Spot for its stupid Christmas party," Erica leered. "Shouldn't you be at Uncle Carl's reading in your room?"

"I'd rather be here with my friends than at home, Erica. It gets boring being in the same place day after day," Kendrix retorted.

Erica scoffed and laughed humorlessly. "You have friends? What a riot."

"She does have friends," Leo said, motioning to everyone in the room. "Most everyone in here is a friend of hers."

"It's all thanks to Cassie," Ashley said firmly, gesturing toward Cassie as she, TJ, Carlos, Justin, Jason, Emily, and Adelle joined Zack, Trini, Kim, Zhane, and Karone. "Cassie protected Kendrix from Tara not once but twice. Kendrix got to know all my friends. She just made some new ones today."

"I remember you and many other people here, Ashley," Erica said and turned toward Mike and Maya. "I remember Mike very well. He was such a handsome boy in high school. He is rather hot now. I learned he was dating an alien girl named Maya. I saw them talking to each other on campus once." She shot a disapproving look toward Maya.

Mike became angry. "Hey, don't call my girlfriend an alien girl."

"It's derogatory," Maya added seriously.

"Who the fuck cares? Alien girl describes you perfectly," Erica hissed.

"Watch your mouth, Erica!" Kendrix scolded fiercely.

"There are children present," Andros said, gesturing toward Julie and Silvy, who stood next to the pool table.

Ashley crossed her arms. "Andros is right. You're setting a bad example for them."

"I don't care. I'll curse as much as I want," Erica said maliciously as she looked at Andros and Ashley. "Word got out that you two are having twins. Ashley is such a slut."

"That's ironic coming from a true slut like you. You've cheated on every guy you have ever dated," Kendrix retorted firmly.

"A woman is only a slut when she gets pregnant out of wedlock," Erica sneered. "After that, no guy will ever want her. One of these days, Ashley will end up all alone with her little brats."

"At least Andros and Ashley didn't lose their virginities in a meaningless encounter like you did," Kendrix said.

Erica mouthed her sister's words in a mocking manner. Kendrix scoffed frustratingly and shook her head in disbelief. Tommy, Kat, Rocky, and Aisha came in.

"You just can't resist mouthing people's words, can you, Erica?" Kendrix growled.

"I will never stop. It's my specialty, especially when people deserve it," Erica said, pretending to spit in Kendrix's face.

"You know, I'm actually glad that our parents left everything to you. I never wanted their money to begin with. I just wanted their love, but they never showed it to me. They always showed it to you. Uncle Carl shows me love. He loves you but only as his niece. He doesn't love you as a person," Kendrix said bluntly as she stepped closer to her.

"I don't give a damn if Uncle Carl doesn't love me as a person. I'll find a guy to love," Erica said with confidence. "What guy would ever want you?" She turned her nose upward. "You're as ugly as hell."

"Not to my friends. They think I am very pretty. In fact, I'm getting rid of my glasses and wearing contacts. I will look even prettier," Kendrix commented.

"Ha! Only an ugly person wearing glasses would say that," Erica answered. "In fact, have a little of this."

Erica raised her hand and rushed it toward her sister. Kendrix blocked her by holding up her arm. She spun her around and shoved her toward the wall next to the entrance. Erica managed to halt herself. She turned around, hissing in anger. She raced toward Kendrix with her hands outstretched. She screamed like a maniac. Kendrix halted her by punching her in the face. Erica stumbled backward and fell on her side. Kendrix approached her, breathing heavily. Erica looked up at her, holding her right eye. She appeared very humiliated.

"You weren't expecting that, were you? Leo taught me a few things about defending myself when he came over to my house last weekend," Kendrix said confidently.

"I have a feeling you'll have a black eye from that punch Kendrix gave you," Leo said, coming to her side.

"That's karmic retribution for you," Kendrix commented. "You deserved it big time."

Erica hissed angrily and rose to her feet. She rushed out, mumbling inaudible words. Leo and Kendrix looked at Andros and Ashley as they came to her side.

"Way to go, Kendrix," Ashley complimented.

"You really showed that witch," Andros added.

The entire room broke into applause and cheering. Kendrix couldn't help but smile. Not once did she ever think she'd stand up to her sister, but she was glad that she did. She was looking forward to telling Carl about it. Everyone became quiet.

"Enough standing around, guys. We've got work to do. Whoever wants a smoothie to drink, let me know. I'll fix it for you," Adelle said.

The crowd departed. Those who had been working on previous tasks went back to them. Tommy and Kat went to Jason and Emily. TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Justin headed to Zack, Trini, Kim, Zhane, and Karone.

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Cassie stood outside the entrance in the early afternoon. She focused her attention on the sky. Two blue jays flew around in a playful chase. Their wings flapped in almost perfect unison. Their gleeful chirps filled the air. They went higher into the sky. She heard footsteps approaching and looked over her shoulder to see TJ coming toward her.

"Hey, Teej. What brings you outside?" Cassie wondered and raised her eyebrows.

"I thought I'd come out here and get some fresh air," TJ answered as he came to her side. "Why?"

"I was just curious," Cassie responded with a shrug.

"Don't get too curious. Curiosity killed the cat," TJ joked.

"Curiosity can kill plenty of other animals. Don't leave them out," Cassie pointed out.

The duo laughed. They grew quiet and gazed up at the sky. The clouds seemed to move one at a time. A gentle breeze touched the skin of both teens, and they sighed in content.

"Beautiful day before Christmas Eve, huh?" he asked.

"You're telling me. The sky doesn't have too many clouds, and the sun is shining brightly. Unfortunately, there's no snow for a White Christmas," she said sadly.

TJ sighed heavily. "That's the biggest downside of living in a Mediterranean climate. It's too warm for snow."

"I'm thinking of asking my parents if we could take a trip to the Sierra Nevada next year. Then we could have a White Christmas," Cassie commented and licked her lips.

"That'd be cool," TJ said with a small smile.

"Oh, yeah. I'd love to do some snowboarding and skiing," Cassie commented.

"I've done snowboarding and skiing before," TJ said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

Cassie gazed at him in surprise. "Really?"

"Sure! It's such an adrenaline rush going down a mountain at high speed. It's like everything is a blur," TJ said, a hearty laugh coming out of his mouth.

"Maybe I could bring you along with us. You could teach me some tricks," Cassie squealed delightfully.

"I'll have to ask my parents about that. They may be a little uncertain about me teaching a girl snowboarding and skiing tricks," TJ commented in some uncertainty.

"I don't think that could be a problem. My dad is a great negotiator. He can convince children's parents to allow them to do anything with us," she said.

"Cool," he replied, winking at her.

Cassie pinched TJ's cheek. She repeated her action with his nose. He chuckled and pretended to punch her in the shoulder. He ruffled her hair and tickled her neck, which made her jump.

"The Sierra Nevada isn't the only place where you can experience White Christmases. The Northeast is famous for having them," TJ commented.

"I know! I've seen pictures of snow-covered places in the Northeast on Christmas Day. The landscapes are so beautiful!" Cassie exclaimed.

TJ looked very proud. "They're the most beautiful landscapes in North America on Christmas Day. Even if the snow lasts only for that day, they're still great to look at." He flicked her nose.

"I wonder if we could rent a glider and try to fly to the Northeast," Cassie joked, a snicker escaping her lips.

"You'd have to be prepared to take lots of rest steps because it's a long way there! It's on the other side of the country, not to mention you'd need good wind for it," TJ said.

Cassie giggled. "That's true. Then again, everyone knows where you can get the perfect winds." She imitated blowing wind.

"That's right! The Santa Ana winds would provide great lift for the glider!" TJ shouted excitedly.

"Look at me! I'm a bird!" Cassie yelled and flapped her arms like wings.

"Me too!" TJ said and mimicked her movements.

The duo ran in circles while chirping like birds. They laughed in delight, feeling the wind against their faces. They stopped after three minutes to pant heavily.

"Next time we start running, get me a stopwatch to see how long it takes for us to run out of breath," she whispered, swallowing hard.

"Sure," he responded. "By the way, you look cute when you're panting heavily."

Cassie blushed such a deep shade of red that she looked like a strawberry. She tried to hide her face behind her hands to no avail. TJ laughed and shook his head. They managed to catch their breaths.

"You look even cuter when you're red!" TJ shouted in much glee.

"Then don't say anything flattering about me again!" Cassie said as the redness faded from her face. "Sometimes, I turn red when that happens!"

He smirked. "I don't care! It brings out your cuteness!"

She blew a raspberry at him. "Go play on the roof!"

Cassie made faces at TJ, who only laughed. He looked at his watch and let a long whistle. He returned his attention to her.

"I'm sorry to say this, but Andros, Karone, and I have to get home. My grandfather will be in Angel Grove in less than an hour," TJ said dejectedly.

"Oh, that's okay. At least you got to experience some entertainment. It was fun watching Kendrix manhandle Erica," Cassie said happily.

TJ laughed. "Oh, yeah. That bitch deserved it big time. If only the rest of the people who make trouble for us would get what she got."

TJ and Cassie headed back inside and approached Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, Justin, Zack, Trini, and Kim standing near the fully decorated tree. Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily helped Adelle decorate the arcade area with tinsel. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya were setting up lights around the doorway. Adam, Tanya, Rocky, and Aisha were attaching ribbons to the bar.

"I see you two finally decided to return," Zhane said.

"I was beginning to think you two climbed up on the roof and jumped off," Carlos joked.

"I'd love to see that. They'd make great birds," Trini commented with a small giggle.

"You're not kidding, Trini," Zack said with a smile. "They have the perfect forms for flight." He put his arm around his girlfriend.

"I agree with Zack," Kim said.

"As do I. Their arms are so long that they could pass for wings," Andros said and snickered under his breath.

"Get out of town, Andros!" TJ blurted out.

"I will if you do, Teej," Andros replied.

"No, thank you," TJ said and exhaled sharply. "I hate to tell you this, buddy, but we have to go. It's getting close to the time of my grandfather's arrival at the house."

"My grandparents will be here soon too," Ashley said, gazing at her watch.

"I guess this is goodbye," Karone said and looked at Zack, Trini, and Kim. "It was good to see you three."

"It was good to see you too, Karone," Zack answered warmly. "We'll see you and your friends at the party tomorrow afternoon."

"Andros, Ashley, good luck telling the grandparents about the babies," Kim said hopefully.

"Thanks, Kim," Andros replied, taking Ashley's hand into his. "That means a lot to us."

Andros, Ashley, TJ, and Karone looked toward Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Adelle, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya. TJ whistled loudly, getting their attention. He gestured toward his watch and jerked his thumb in the direction of the exit. His friends gave waves. He, Andros, Ashley, and Karone waved back. They headed out the exit, waving to Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya as they passed. Their friends waved back to them. Everyone returned to what he or she was doing.


	56. Ashley's Grandparents Arrive

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. Ashley's grandparents and aunt make their first appearance. Ashley's grandmother is the same one that appeared in "Grandma Matchmaker." TJ's grandfather makes his first appearance in the next chapter. I made a change where Andros mentions Ashley is two months along in her pregnancy instead of eight weeks in the previous chapter. I added Gerald's last name as Humphrey in chapter twenty-one. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-seven.

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Chapter 56: Ashley's Grandparents Arrive

At the Hammond residence in the late afternoon, Ashton, Anna, Ashley, and forty-two-year-old Raylene were waiting in the living room for Ben, Kayla, and Gerald's arrival. The first three sat on the couch while the fourth sat in the armchair. A big and fully decorated tree sat in front of the window and was surrounded by wrapped presents underneath it.

Raylene stretched her arms above her head before letting out a small yawn. She resembled her brother, but she wasn't as tall as he was and had a lean frame. Her long brown hair had gray streaks here and there. Her dark brown eyes had freckles underneath them. Her face had no wrinkles at all. She smacked her lips as she laid her hands in her lap.

Ashton and Anna looked at each other. They recalled when their fathers called to tell them they had gotten to Pine Oak Hotel sometime after two o'clock and would be at the house after they got freshened up. They didn't think they'd be staying at the same hotel they stayed at overnight while Andros spent time with Ashley. They weren't about to tell them that.

Suddenly, Ashley started to feel queasy. She jumped to her feet and raced upstairs with her hand over her mouth. Ashton, Anna, and Raylene watched her until she was out of sight. They heard her slam the bathroom door. They looked at each other, furrowing their brows.

"I hope to God that doesn't happen when we are having pizza for dinner," Raylene said, showing some nervousness.

"Our parents will likely think something didn't agree with Ashley, but they could become suspicious if it happens more than once," Anna whispered, biting her lip.

"Or they see her eating more than usual," Ashton added.

"I am dreading the moment she tells them about the babies," Raylene said seriously. "They could go off the rails, especially since they hoped she and Andros would conceive after marrying." Her body trembled somewhat.

Anna scoffed. "If they do, we'll just let them. None of us are renouncing our support for her."

Ashton held up his hands. "All three of us moved out here to get away from their meddling. We found great jobs. I work with computers. Anna works in medical billing and coding. Raylene operates a fishing and sporting store that's very popular with both the locals and tourists." He laid them in his lap.

"I remember when Dad laughed at the idea of me running my own business. When he learned how popular my store was, he was impressed. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop him from telling me how I should arrange it whenever he and Mom visit," Raylene muttered, rolling her eyes.

"If your parents and my dad told my and my husband's fellow employees how to arrange their offices, they'd be laughed right out of the building. They have low tolerance for meddlers," Anna commented.

Raylene propped her head up with her elbow on the arm. "No one likes someone telling them how to do stuff. Unfortunately, some people never get it when their opinion isn't wanted."

Just then, Ashley came down the stairs. She took slow yet even breaths as she went to her mother's side and seated herself on the couch. Anna laid a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"You okay, darling?" Anna asked.

"Yeah," Ashley answered honestly. "I can't wait for this morning sickness to be over with." She shuddered in disgust and scoffed to herself. "I hate it when it comes on like that."

"Did you hide those prenatal vitamins like I asked you earlier?" Ashton asked.

"Yes, I did, Dad. They are in my closet hidden in that wooden box you and Mom gave me for my fourteenth birthday. I got rid of the birth control pills. I don't need them anymore," Ashley said.

"Your grandparents have the right to believe people should abstain from sex until marriage, Ashley. However, those pills didn't encourage you to have sex. You were taking them to regulate your periods," Raylene said.

"I can never forget how they found out, Aunt Raylene. Grandma accidentally found the pills in the upstairs bathroom when she used it after Thanksgiving dinner last year. They fussed at Mom and Dad for giving them to me because they saw it as encouraging me to have sex. They wouldn't listen when I told them the real reason I was taking them," Ashley mumbled, her body beginning to shake. "Oh, God. They could tell me to—"

"They won't," Ashton said. He knew Ashley was talking about being told to get an abortion. "They see all life as very precious."

"Nevertheless, that doesn't change the fact our parents and Anna's father are meddlers, bro. We won't ever be able to change that," Raylene said bluntly.

"Yeah. Anyway, let's just enjoy this visit. We'll worry about Ashley's revealing her pregnancy to them later," Ashton said.

The others voiced their agreement. Ashton wasn't able to stop himself from smiling. He ran his fingers through his hair as Ashley felt her body stop shaking.

"Andros and I can hardly wait for my next ultrasound appointment to be here. We'll get to hear the babies' heartbeats on the ultrasound," Ashley said excitedly. "We'll also get to see how much they've grown since the first appointment." She squeaked in delight.

"We can hardly wait to see the new ultrasound pictures," Anna commented, kissing her daughter's cheek.

"Ashley, did you know that one in eight pregnancies start out with twins, but only one baby is brought to term because the other one dies?" Raylene asked.

"No, I didn't, Aunt Raylene," Ashley answered, letting out a small yawn.

"I read about it in a pregnancy book. Sometimes, a child feels someone is missing in its life. In many cases, it had a twin who died in utero," Raylene explained.

"Wow," Ashley whispered in amazement. "I wonder if my and Andros's twins will have a strong bond."

"I think they will," Ashton said, touching her shoulder. "If they don't, it's not your fault. Some siblings just don't become close, whether they are multiples are or not. It doesn't matter how equally treated they are either." He shrugged.

"You can't force siblings to become close," Anna said, holding up a finger. "Moreover, some parents can't help but have favorite children. That parent and child have a strong bond due to common interests. What parents should never do is say which children are their favorites."

"Unfortunately, some parents make it clear which children are their favorites and which ones aren't. They love pitting their children against each other. They want them to fight for their affection," Ashton said in disgust.

"That is not right, Dad," Ashley commented in some anger. "Parents should treat all of their children equally, even if they have favorites among them."

"They should, but it doesn't always happen that way. What you need to do is focus on your own children. Love them dearly. Do everything you can to raise them right," Raylene said.

"Andros and I will," Ashley said truthfully. She began talking about what kind of pizza she'd like to have.

00000

Ashton, Anna, and Ashley laughed at Raylene making faces at them while standing in front of the coffee table ten minutes later. Just then, the doorbell rang, causing them to look toward the front door. Ashton rose to his feet and approached it. His wife and daughter stood up. He looked through the peephole to see sixty-four-year-old Gerald, seventy-year-old Ben, and sixty-nine-year-old Kayla.

Gerald let out a small yawn as he adjusted his glasses. He resembled Anna, but he was as tall as Ashton was and was somewhat heavyset. He had no hair on his head whatsoever. Wrinkles decorated his face, and his dark blue eyes had scars underneath them.

Ben adjusted the sleeve on his blue flannel shirt. He resembled Ashton, except he was somewhat taller and had more muscle. He had dark brown eyes. His short brown hair was in a buzz cut, and his cheeks were dotted with freckles, some of them connecting. His face had many wrinkles. He, Kayla, and Gerald smiled when Ashton unlocked the door and opened it.

"Hi, son! Merry Christmas!" the grandparents greeted cheerfully.

"Merry Christmas to you three," Ashton said and hugged his parents and father-in-law. He stepped aside to allow them to come inside. "How was your flight?"

"Oh, it was wonderful, son," Kayla said happily and stopped in her tracks along with Ben and Gerald. Ashton closed the door and locked it. "Your father and I watched two adorable little boys play with their Ninja Turtles action figures in the seats behind us. Which ones were they?" She looked confused.

"They were Donatello and Raphael. You need to watch the TV series a bit more often," Ben said, looking down at his wife.

"I'm sorry if I don't remember. I'm not really into that 80s stuff," Kayla pointed out as she gazed up at her husband.

"Hey, your granddaughter happens to be a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Raylene said, jerking her thumb in Ashley's direction as she approached her parents along with Anna in regards to her father. "You might as well get the scope from her."

"Maybe I will," Kayla said confidently. She and Ben hugged their daughter, whom responded in kind. "Merry Christmas, darling."

"You too, Mom, Dad," Raylene said, releasing her hold on her parents and pulling back.

"Merry Christmas, Anna," Gerald said sweetly as he and his daughter embraced.

"The same goes for you, Dad," Anna responded lovingly.

Gerald and Anna let go of each other. He, Ben, and Kayla approached Ashley, as did she with them. Ashley hugged Ben and Kayla tightly.

"Merry Christmas, Ashley," Ben whispered in a loving voice.

"Merry Christmas, Grandpa, Grandma," Ashley replied, sighing in content. She let go of them, and they pulled back and looked at each other.

"Wow. She's gotten even prettier than the last time we saw her," Kayla said with a giggle.

Ashley blushed somewhat, but it was enough to make her face red. "Thanks."

Gerald ruffled his granddaughter's hair. "Now, we don't need any blushing. I've seen enough red for this Christmas."

"I'll try not to, Grandpa," Ashley said, turning to him as the redness left her face. They hugged each other. "Merry Christmas."

"You too, little one," Gerald answered. They pulled back and gazed at each other. "Just don't grow too tall. You don't want to hit your head on the top of a doorway, do you?" He did Curly's signature nyuk-nyuk-nyuk.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that," Ashley assured.

Ben gazed toward Ashton, Anna, and Raylene. "Why don't you three grab the presents from our rental cars?" He pulled keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Ashton, who caught them. "They are all in the trunk of my car."

"We want to talk with Ashley," Gerald added and grabbed keys from his pocket. He threw them to Anna, and she caught them. "The presents are in the back seat of my car."

"Okay," Ashton said, shaking his father's keys. "We'll be right back."

Ashton, Anna, and Raylene went to the door. He unlocked it and opened it. He allowed the women to go first. He walked out, closing it behind him. Ashley, Kayla, and Ben went to the couch and sat down. Gerald took the armchair.

"So, tell us how everything is going with Andros," Kayla said, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Everything is going great. Our relationship is getting stronger every day," Ashley answered, a giggle escaping her lips. She became serious quickly. "Please, don't ask when we are getting married."

Kayla held up her hands. "Oh, my lips are sealed. Still, I want you to wear a gorgeous white dress when you walk down the aisle and meet him at the altar." She laid them in her lap.

Ben raised his eyebrow. "Is that Johnny guy still bugging you for a date?"

"No, he's not," Ashley answered swiftly.

"That's good," Gerald commented in happiness. Ben, Kayla, and Ashley looked toward him. "If you ask me, he's crazy."

"Oh, I agree," Ben said seriously. "A guy like that will date a pretty girl until he finds a prettier one and dumps her." He rolled his eyes.

"There's something else you need to know about Johnny," Ashley said, looking somewhat nervous.

"What do you mean?" Kayla wondered.

Ashley sighed quietly. She hoped her grandparents wouldn't freak out at what she was about to say.

"Well, Johnny got expelled from school for pulling a knife on Andros last week. They got into a fight. Andros wasn't injured, thanks to Leo's intervention. Cassie and I helped by getting Mr. Kaplan," Ashley explained in a calm yet firm manner.

Ben, Kayla, and Gerald gasped in shock. They opened and closed their mouths, unable to get words to form. The front door opening diverted their and Ashley's attention. Ashton, Anna, and Raylene walked in with wrapped presents of varying sizes. Ashton pushed the door closed with his foot.

"Son, why didn't you tell your dad, Gerald, and me that your daughter, her boyfriend, and her friends were involved in a knife incident at school?" Kayla demanded.

"Mom, we know all three of you. You go crazy with worry when we tell you stuff like this. Besides, Andros and Ashley are adults. They are capable of taking care of their own problems," Ashton answered.

"Before you say anything else, we have a restraining order against Johnny. The Johnsons, Chans, and Corbetts do too. He can't come within three hundred feet of our properties," Anna added.

"Don't say a word about a restraining order being just a piece of paper. We can protect ourselves. Just about anything can be used as a weapon," Ashton said with firmness.

Ashley's parents and aunt headed over to the tree. They placed the presents underneath it. Kayla shifted her position in her seat as they faced her and the others. Ashton and Anna tossed the keys back to their fathers, whom caught them and slipped back in their pockets.

"I don't doubt that you can fight, but it's our job as parents to worry about you. On top of that, California has lots of earthquakes," Kayla pointed out.

"A big one can come without any warning. What if you get buried under debris?" Ben added.

Ashton gave his parents a serious look. "Mom, Dad, I understand your concerns, but we don't care if we have to deal with earthquakes. We love living in Angel Grove."

Raylene crossed her arms. "You guys have to face the risk of hurricanes and nor'easters in Boston. You remember the 1991 Perfect Storm and Hurricane Bob?"

"Of course, we do. Those storms were bad, but we live miles from the coast. We were safe, though we did deal with the danger of flying debris from the wind," Gerald commented.

"No matter where anyone lives, there is a risk of a natural disaster," Raylene said calmly yet firmly.

"Moreover, we moved out here to get away from your meddling. You were always telling us how we should and shouldn't do things," Anna said, swallowing hard.

"We just wanted what was best for you guys," Kayla answered truthfully.

"We understand that, Mom, but there are times we must do things on our own. That's exactly what all three of us have done. We're all happy with our lives," Raylene said.

"It's wonderful that you're happy. It doesn't take away the fact that you have made decisions we don't approve of," Gerald pointed out as he glanced toward Ashton and Anna.

Anna groaned. "Please, let's not get into that, Dad. It's Christmas. It is Ashley's last one as a high school student. Let's not make it hard for her, all right?"

Gerald held up his hands in surrender. Anna sighed in relief as she watched him lay them on the arms. Ashley cleared her throat.

"I'm going to go get those pictures of dolphins I took while I was taking a walk on the beach this past summer," Ashley said, standing up. "I shouldn't be long."

"I'm getting those pictures of the orcas Ashton and I took during our fishing trip at sea this past spring," Anna added.

"Okay," Kayla said while nodding.

Anna and Ashley headed upstairs. Ashton started telling his parents and father-in-law about the time Anna put a whoopie cushion in his chair just before dinner.

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In her room two minutes later, Ashley opened her nightstand's bottom drawer and gabbed an envelope containing her dolphin pictures. She closed the former before opening the latter. She pulled the pictures out to look them over. After finding all of them were there, she placed them back into the envelope and closed it.

She headed out of her room and down the hallway. She stopped at the second door on her right, which happened to be the bathroom. She walked inside while staring at herself in the mirror. She stopped at the counter. She placed her hand on her stomach, rubbing it gently. She could see Anna coming to her side in the mirror. Anna had an envelope filled with her orca pictures in her hand.

"Hey, you okay, honey?" Anna asked in concern as she came to her daughter's side.

"I don't think I should've told my grandparents about the knife incident. I didn't expect them to start talking about all that stuff," Ashley muttered, sighing in frustration. "That included how they disapproved of decisions you, Dad, and Aunt Raylene have made." She sniffled.

"I understand how you feel," Anna whispered sympathetically. "They run their mouths until someone tells them to stop." She snorted.

"Unfortunately," Ashley agreed.

"Anyway, I feel you did the right thing in telling them," Anna replied honestly. "They deserved to know." She licked her lips. "We want all our loved ones to be safe from Johnny."

"Maybe I shouldn't tell my grandparents about the twins right now. Maybe I should just wait. Because it's Christmas, the stress after I tell them could be higher than it would be at any other time," Ashley said in uncertainty.

"It's up to you, Ashley, but you don't want to wait too long. On top of that, there is a chance someone else will tell them before you can. That would make them angrier than it would with you telling them," Anna commented, seriousness lining her voice.

Ashley wiped a tear from her eye. Though she was uncertain about telling her grandparents about her pregnancy, she was determined to do it. After all, they had a right to know. Perhaps their reaction wouldn't be too bad. She looked at her mother.

"I'll tell them about the babies, but I'll do it after we open presents following dinner," Ashley said, letting out a soft snort. "I want my hunger to be satisfied and see my gifts first."

"Okay," Anna said, kissing her daughter's cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom," Ashley said, taking a deep breath. "Let's go share our pictures with my grandparents."

"Yes. Let's," Anna answered warmly. They ruffled each other's hair and headed downstairs.


	57. TJ's Grandfather Comes

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. TJ's grandfather makes his first appearance in this chapter. Andros and Ashley's return to Raylene's cabin will be coming soon. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-eight.

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Chapter 57: TJ's Grandfather Comes

At the Johnson residence, Ricky, Diane, Andros, Karone, and TJ were waiting in the living room for Joey's arrival. The teens sat on the couch while the adults were in the armchairs. A big and fully decorated tree was in front of the window. It was surrounded by wrapped presents.

Ricky propped his head up with his elbow. He recalled when his father called to tell him that he had gotten to Cedar Ridge Hotel just after two-thirty and would be there after he had gotten freshened up. He was glad that Joey hadn't checked into Pine Oak Hotel. He wasn't about to tell him that he and Diane allowed Andros to spend the evening with Ashley at her house while Ashton and Anna were there overnight.

Diane clicked her tongue three times. She shifted her position in her chair a bit. She began singing nonsense and moving her feet from side to side. She moved her hands back and forth, as she upped the volume of her voice. Ricky, Andros, Karone, and TJ looked toward her, smiles forming on their faces.

"Yeah. Sing your heart out, Mrs. Johnson," Karone cheered. 

"I think you will dance yourself out of that armchair and out the door before Grandpa gets here," TJ joked.

"That ain't happening, son," Diane said, becoming still.

"Hey, you're not supposed to say ain't. It's not a word!" Ricky yelled in mock anger.

"Hey, I'll say ain't as much as I want. There isn't anything you can do about it," Diane said, standing up. "Ain't, ain't, ain't, ain't, ain't."

"If you say ain't one more time, I will go over and slap you silly," Ricky said playfully and rose to his feet.

"Bring it on," Diane taunted and made a mean face. She let out a fierce growl. "I dare you."

"Okay. Here I come," Ricky said and went over to his wife. He slapped her lightly on one cheek. He did the same with the other. "How's that for slapping you silly?" He laughed.

"That was good," Diane said, patting her husband on top of his head. "Just don't make it a habit." She winked at him.

Ricky waved Diane off, getting a laugh from her. They returned to the armchairs to sit down. Andros touched his temple.

"If there's one thing about this family that my sister and I love, it's everyone has a great sense of humor," Andros said with pride.

Karone looked at her brother. "Do you remember when TJ's grandfather put whoopie cushions under the couch cushions without you, TJ, and me knowing at Thanksgiving dinner last year?"

"Boy, do I ever," Andros said, gazing at his sister. "All three of us sat down and heard loud deflating. We looked so embarrassed because we actually thought we had passed gas."

"Grandpa told us we didn't fart at all. We sat on whoopie cushions," TJ said, touching the back of his neck. "He laughed so hard that he sounded like a hyena." He imitated a hyena's laugh.

Andros turned to his friend with a smirk. "You sound just like him when you laugh as hard as a hyena does."

"Hey, I can't help it when something is so funny," TJ said, eyeing him as he laid his hand on the couch's arm.

"Maybe you and your grandfather should just become hyenas," Andros quipped, punching him in the shoulder.

"We will if you and the rest of the family become hyenas with us," TJ said, sitting tall and proud.

Diane chuckled. "Okay. Let's not forget that female hyenas lead their clans. That means I'd be leader of this group of hyenas."

"Then I'd be leader after you step down," Karone added.

Diane pointed her finger at the young woman in the shape of a gun. Karone couldn't stop herself from giggling.

"Don't point that finger at me, ma'am. It might go off," Karone said, pretending to shake in fear.

"Okay," Diane replied and pointed her finger toward the ceiling. She imitated a gunshot. She placed her hand in her lap. "How's that?"

Karone winked at her. "That's good. If fingers could fire gunshots, bullets would be flying off the shelves."

Andros ruffled her hair. "You got that right, sis."

Karone turned to Andros. She grabbed his ponytail and smacked him on the cheek with it three times. He pushed her hand aside before tweaking her nose. She flicked his chin twice. They looked at the others.

"If there is one thing I like about the elder Mr. Johnson, it's he is very open-minded, despite he is old-fashioned," Andros said calmly.

"Grandpa understands people will have sex. He believes abstinence should be talked about, but contraceptives should be available to those who want it," TJ commented.

"Abstinence-only sex education has done little to reduce the number of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Unfortunately, supporters continue to insist it is superior to comprehensive sex education because it teaches people to abstain from sex until marriage. They claim the latter encourages people to engage in sexual activity because it provides information on contraceptives," Karone muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Let them believe that. We don't have to," TJ responded in a calm yet firm voice. "People decide to become sexually active. Contraceptives keep them safe when used properly."

"Because Ashley's grandparents believe people should remain pure until marriage, I believe their reaction to her becoming a young mother will not be pleasant at all," Andros whispered uncertainly. "I don't even want to think about what they might say to me if I was there when she told them." He shuddered in fear.

"Perhaps Grandpa's reaction to your becoming a young father won't be too bad," TJ said hopefully. "Like you said, he is very open-minded."

"We'll worry about his reaction later. Let's just enjoy the visit, okay?" Ricky suggested.

The others voiced their agreement. Ricky shifted his position in his armchair somewhat. He crossed his left ankle over his right.

"It's hard to believe that Ashley is already into the third month of her pregnancy. It was almost two weeks ago that we got confirmation of her due date," Andros whispered, his voice showing much awe.

"In seven months, you will holding your babies," Karone said, touching his shoulder.

Andros let out a small sniffle. "I know. I think Ashley and I will make many friends at the teen parent support group when we attend our first meeting next month."

TJ crossed his right ankle over his left. "It's likely the members will be surprised that two former Rangers are in the same situation as they are."

"I agree, but it doesn't matter. Ashley and I are determined to tell our story to the group. The members need to understand that Rangers have never been immune to real life. We're just as vulnerable as anyone else is," Andros declared.

Ricky leaned forward, seriousness showing on his face. "You're right about that, Andros. Being superheroes was a difficult job for you and the others, but you had to do it. You were all chosen to be Power Rangers because you had what it took to handle it."

"I loved being a Ranger, but I will love being a father even more," Andros said, a tear falling down his cheek. "Perhaps the children will take after Ashley, me, or both of us." He smiled.

"Who knows? Every child has its own personality," Karone commented.

"You said it, Karone," Diane said, folding her hands and laying them in her lap. "Sometimes, the best-looking people have the ugliest personalities."

"Everyone knows someone who is like what you described, Mom," TJ said, showing disgust. "Never judge a book by its cover."

The others voiced their agreement. Andros began speaking about what toys he'd like to get the babies.

00000

Andros, Karone, TJ, and Diane laughed at Ricky clucking like a chicken and walking around in front of the coffee table eight minutes later. Ricky acted as if he were pecking at the floor and flapped his folded-under arms like wings. He stopped and raised his head to crow loudly.

"Now, that is what I call crowing," Andros said gleefully.

"Dad would make such a handsome rooster," TJ said and looked toward his mother. "Mom would make such a beautiful hen."

"Hey, I am _not_ laying eggs," Diane said matter-of-factly.

TJ looked toward Karone. "Then Karone can be a hen. She'd make such a beautiful one."

Karone shook her head rapidly. "I'm not laying eggs either. By the way, you and Andros would make such handsome roosters."

"Why, thank you, sis," Andros said with pride.

"Yeah, yeah," Karone said, waving her brother off.

Ricky became still when the doorbell rang. He and the others looked toward the front door. He unfolded his arms. He rubbed his hands together and made his way toward it. He looked through the peephole once he got there to see seventy-two-year-old Joey standing before it.

Joey adjusted his glasses. He resembled Ricky, except he was slightly shorter than he was and was somewhat heavyset. His left palm had a scar going across the bottom of it. His face was filled with wrinkles and had freckles here and there. His eyebrows were thin, almost invisible. Ricky unlocked the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking somewhat.

"Merry Christmas, son!" Joey shouted cheerfully.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Dad," Ricky answered and hugged his father, who responded in kind. They let go of each other after thirty seconds. He stepped aside, allowing him to walk in. He closed the door and locked it. "How was your flight?"

"It was a blast, son," Joey said eagerly and stopped before the coffee table. He saw Diane, TJ, Andros, and Karone stand up. "Two girls sitting in the seat behind me did a great rendition of Whitney Houston's _I Wanna Dance With Somebody._ They had everyone dancing in their seats." He moved from side to side while snapping his fingers.

"You might as well dance your way out of this house," Diane joked as she made her way over to him.

"I just might do that, Diane," Joey said, becoming still. He hugged her, and she gave him a bigger hug. "Merry Christmas, darling."

"You too, Joey," Diane responded, patting his back. They released their hold on each other and pulled back. "I wish my parents could be here to celebrate with us. It's not fair they died in a car crash when TJ was just ten." She sniffled.

"I wish my wife could be here to celebrate with us too. She never got to know her grandson, thanks to that massive heart attack she suffered three months before his birth," Joey whispered sadly. "However, our loved ones aren't really gone. They are watching over us." He cupped his daughter-in-law's chin in his hand.

"I know," Diane said while nodding slowly. She felt him take away his hand. "Still, it doesn't—"

"I know. It's better to live a short fulfilled life than a long meaningless one," Joey commented and turned to TJ. "Isn't that right, TJ?"

"Yes, it is, Grandpa," TJ answered truthfully and embraced his grandfather, who returned the favor. "Merry Christmas."

"The same to you, young man," Joey said as he and his grandson pulled away from each other. "No, I didn't get you a BB gun for Christmas. I don't want you shooting your eye out."

TJ laughed. He loved it when his grandfather told him that joke. Joey looked toward Andros and Karone. He walked over to them as they dug their heels of their tennis shoes into the floor.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Wonder Twins," Joey joked and chuckled joyfully.

"The only place anyone will see the Wonder Twins is on TV," Andros retorted in playfulness. He and Karone hugged Joey, who gave them bigger hugs.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Johnson," Karone whispered warmly.

"Back at you," Joey said, letting go of the twins. They pulled back to look at each other. "You and TJ better watch out. You never know what prank I might play on you." He eyed TJ and gave him a wink.

TJ laughed sarcastically. "That was so funny that I forgot to laugh, Grandpa."

Joey looked toward Ricky. "Son, why don't you go to my rental car and get the presents out of the trunk?" He pulled his keys out of his pocket and tossed them to his son, who caught them. "I want to talk to the kids."

"Sure, Dad," Ricky said, shaking the keys.

"I'll go with you," Diane said, coming to her husband's side. "You don't need to carry those presents by yourself."

Ricky approached the door. He unlocked it and opened it. He allowed Diane to go outside first. He followed her, closing the door behind him. Andros and Karone sat back down. TJ went over to join them on the couch. Joey headed over to Diane's armchair to seat himself.

"Andros, Karone, tell me how everything is going with Ashley and Zhane," Joey said, his voice showing eagerness.

"Everything is going great with Ashley," Andros said happily.

"The same goes with Zhane. Both relationships are becoming stronger every day," Karone added, squeaking in delight.

"Before you ask, Johnny is not bothering Ashley for a date anymore," Andros said swiftly.

"Oh, that's good," Joey commented in a warm voice. "Despite that, Johnny needs a bunch of kicks to his butt as punishment for not leaving her alone."

"I think him falling face first into a mud puddle would be a better punishment because it would mess his hair and clothes up so bad. He needs to see how ugly he really is," Karone said bluntly.

"You got that right, Karone," TJ agreed. "The best kind of revenge is the one where you never have to lift a finger to carry it out."

Andros, Karone, and Joey nodded in agreement. Andros looked toward the window for a long moment before turning back to Joey.

"There is something you need to know about Johnny," Andros said seriously.

Joey became a little confused. "What do you mean, Andros?"

Andros swallowed hard. He hoped Joey wouldn't freak out at what he was about to tell him.

"Johnny and I got into a fight at school last week. He pulled a knife on me. Leo managed to stop him before he could hurt me with it. Ashley and Cassie got involved by getting Mr. Kaplan. Johnny was expelled," Andros explained.

Joey felt his jaw drop. He opened and closed his mouth, but he couldn't get any words to come out. The front door opening diverted everyone's attention. The group looked toward Ricky and Diane coming in with the presents. Ricky pushed the door closed with his foot.

"Son, I had no idea Andros, Ashley, and two of their friends were involved in a knife incident at school," Joey said.

"It's not exactly something you write home about, Dad," Ricky answered seriously. He and Diane went over to the tree to put the presents under it. They faced the others. He grabbed the keys from his pocket and tossed them to his father, who caught them easily. "We, the Hammonds, the Corbetts, and the Chans have restraining orders against Johnny in place."

Diane showed determination. "It might be just a piece of paper, but we're ready to fight the guy with anything we can get our hands on if he violates it."

Joey looked at his son and daughter-in-law proudly. "That's good. Sometimes, we have no choice but to fight."

"There were times that Andros, Ashley, Carlos, Cassie, Zhane, and I had such difficulty fighting against our enemies that we weren't sure if we'd be able to beat them," TJ whispered in a little fear.

Andros yawned and gazed at his friend. "In the end, we came through just fine. Of course, I am amazed that Bulk and Skull led the charge against the Quantrons and Piranhatrons when you and the others were fighting them, Teej."

"They knew we wouldn't be able to beat them on our own, so they took matters into their own hands, Andros. It was their finest moment," TJ said with pride.

"If more people were like them, then the universe would be a better place. The most horrible thing about being Astronema the second time around was I could see what I was doing, but I couldn't stop myself. I never wanted to hurt anyone," Karone mumbled, sobs rising in her throat.

"Sis, it's okay," Andros whispered soothingly as he turned to her. He put his arm around her. "There was nothing you could've done. What matters is that you are here with us. You're carrying on with your life. It can be hard to not think about the past sometimes, but you're not letting it control you. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, bro," Karone said, looking at him. "Thank you so much."

Andros and Karone hugged tightly. They stayed this way for twenty seconds before breaking apart. They looked at the others.

"I'm going upstairs to get pictures I took of sea lions lounging on the beach this past spring," Andros said, standing up.

"I'm getting pictures of my and Diane's boating trip on the lake three months ago," Ricky added.

"Okay," Joey said with a nod. "Don't be in too big of a rush."

Ricky waved Joey off. He and Andros went upstairs while snapping their fingers. They returned with their pictures in which they were in envelopes a minute later. They gave them to Joey, who laid the second envelope in his lap. Joey opened the first one to take out the sea lion pictures. He looked at the first one as Andros took his seat while Ricky claimed the other armchair. He smiled and spoke inaudible words to Andros.


	58. The Grandparents' Reactions

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just three days to get out. After I finish writing "Ride the Wind," I plan to focus on this fic for a good while before I start on another one. Stay tuned for chapter fifty-nine.

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Chapter 58: The Grandparents' Reactions

The Hammond residence's living room was filled with lively chatter in the early evening. Ben, Kayla, and Ashley sat on the couch. Gerald was seated in the armchair. Ashton and Anna sat in foldable chairs next to the end table. Raylene was on the floor next to Anna. Wrapping paper was on the floor, and boxes were on the coffee table.

Anna ripped open a small present from her father to find a gray box. She examined it very closely. She opened the lid slowly but surely to find silver earrings with tiny diamonds embedded into them. She felt her jaw drop and looked toward Gerald, who flashed a smile at her.

"These earrings are beautiful, Dad," Anna exclaimed. She showed the earrings to the others, and they voiced their approval. She turned back to her father. "How much did you spend on them?"

"I didn't spend a whole lot on them at all. In fact, they were on sale," Gerald said with much pride.

"Thank you, Dad," Anna said and rose to her feet. She went over to him to give him a big hug. "I'll wait to put them on, though."

"I don't care," Gerald commented as he and his daughter pulled apart. They looked at each other. "Just don't let them grow legs and run away."

Gerald ruffled Anna's hair, smirking when he received a slap on the shoulder from her. She went back to her chair to sit down. She closed the box and handed it to Ashton, who placed it on the coffee table. Ashley picked a medium-sized present up off it. She looked at her Kayla when she heard her chuckle.

"You get to open the final present of tonight," Kayla said eagerly and nudged her granddaughter in the arm with her elbow. "It happens to be from us." She motioned toward Ben and herself. "Lucky you, lucky us."

"Yep," Ben said with a laugh. "On top of that, you ate the final piece of pizza at dinner. You ate four pieces, I believe." He winked at the young woman.

Kayla tickled Ashley's nose. "That's one more than you usually eat."

Ashley scratched her leg, followed by her neck. "Well, I was hungrier than I thought. It's no big deal. I enjoyed having Pizza Hut pizza for dinner."

"Let's not forget about the law of diminishing returns. The more you consume, the less satisfaction you get," Raylene pointed out.

"How can I forget? I learned that in last year's economics class," Ashley said honestly. "Anyway, let's see what tonight's final present is."

Ashley ripped the wrapping paper away in which it revealed a blue box. She examined it carefully before lifting the lid. She gasped in awe at what she saw. A silver necklace with a dolphin attached to it was inside the box. She looked at Ben and Kayla, whom both smiled at her.

"Grandma, Grandpa, this necklace is so beautiful," Ashley exclaimed. She showed the necklace to her parents and aunt, who all gave approved nods. She stood up and went over to Gerald to show it to him. She got a thumbs-up from him. She headed back to her seat and sat down. "It must have been expensive."

Ben shook his head, laughing warmly. "Oh, it wasn't expensive at all."

Kayla held up a finger. "We wanted to find you an orca necklace, but we couldn't. We found this dolphin necklace. We thought it was perfect for you."

"Thank you. Thank you so much," Ashley said and embraced the couple, whom hugged her back. "This is even better than the one hundred bucks I got from you two and him." She gestured toward Gerald.

"You're welcome," Ben and Kayla responded sweetly.

The trio let go of each other. Ashley closed the box and laid it on the table. She looked at each of her grandparents.

"Guys, I have some news I need to share with you," Ashley said truthfully.

"What kind of news?" Kayla asked curiously.

"Don't tell us that you're suffering from some kind of illness," Ben said, looking a little nervous.

"I'm not suffering from any illness," Ashley said with a shake of her head. "This news is a bit complicated, though."

Kayla showed confusion. "What do you mean complicated?"

"I don't know to tell you this, but I'm—" Ashley started, unsure if she could continue.

Gerald became a little impatient. "Come on, Ashley."

"You can tell us what is going on," Ben added.

Ashley took slow yet even breaths while pushing her hair out of her face. She sat up straight, determination showing in her eyes.

"I'm pregnant. I'm carrying twins. Andros is their father," Ashley declared.

Ben, Kayla, and Gerald gasped in much shock, making their granddaughter wince loudly. Their mouths opened and closed, but they couldn't form any words. Ashton, Anna, and Raylene didn't react, but they didn't doubt their parents' reactions would be like this. Suddenly, Ben became angry.

"Ashley, how could you and Andros do this? You two were supposed to wait until after you were married to have sex!" Ben yelled.

"Grandpa, I respect that you think I should wait, but Andros and I didn't want to wait. It's likely it'll be several years before we marry. That is if it ever happens," Ashley responded.

"It doesn't matter," Kayla said with much disapproval. "Sex is meant to be within the bounds of marriage. Premarital sex is a no-no under any circumstance."

Gerald shot a glare at Ashton and Anna. "You two are definitely to blame for this. You gave Ashley that blasted birth control. You basically gave her permission to have premarital sex!"

Anna scoffed. "Dad, Ashton and I gave Ashley birth control, so she could correct her irregular periods. It helped her a lot."

"She and Andros made the decision to become sexually active on their own. The only thing they were guilty of was not using a condom along with her birth control during their first sexual encounter at Raylene's cabin and all the others after that," Ashton added.

"You and Anna let your daughter go with her boyfriend alone to your sister's cabin?" Ben screeched.

"Yes, we did, Dad," Ashton said defiantly as he turned to his father. "Ricky and Diane didn't have a problem with Andros going with her."

Raylene rose to her feet. "I allowed Andros and Ashley to use my cabin. They had every right to have time by themselves for a few days."

"You, Ashton, and Anna should be ashamed of yourselves, Raylene," Kayla scolded. "I never thought you three would be so stupid to allow Andros and Ashley to be alone in a cabin."

"How dare you say that, Grandma!" Ashley yelled in anger as she looked at her grandmother. "Andros and I were stupid for not using more protection! It's our fault and no one else's!"

Kayla shifted her attention toward her granddaughter. "Your parents and aunt are the ones—"

"Yes, they allowed Andros and me to be alone, but we agreed to have sex," Ashley interrupted sharply. "I shouldn't say that. We made love, and we've enjoyed it every time we've done it. Our children were conceived in an act of love!"

Ashley felt tears coming to her eyes. She managed to hold them back and breathed deeply to calm down.

"Andros and I have already taken responsibility for our babies. He got a part-time job at the Surf Spot. He works twenty hours a week and is paid eight bucks an hour. It's not much, but it's a start. He plans to get a full-time job after graduation. I plan to get one after I recover from giving birth in late July. We're postponing college for several years," Ashley said.

"All that is noble of you and Andros, Ashley, but your situation is still not acceptable. We have a real solution for you two," Gerald said.

"Either you two get married very soon, or you give the twins up for adoption," Ben said matter-of-factly. He saw a shocked expression cross Ashley's face, but he remained firm.

"The children need real parents who can provide them with a good home if you refuse to have them within the bounds of marriage," Kayla added.

"How can you say such a thing?" Ashley growled angrily. "Andros and I _are_ the twins' real parents. They belong with us and no one else. This isn't the 1950s anymore. We don't need to be married in order to be good parents to them! We're not letting total strangers raise them!"

"Ashley—" Kayla started.

"Don't, Grandma," Ashley interrupted in a sharp manner. "I've had enough of your sex-and-children-within-the-bounds-of-marriage talk. Andros and I plan to raise our children as we are. That's final. I have nothing more to say to you and my grandfathers. You really hurt me with what you said."

Ashley jumped to her feet and raced upstairs, the tears finally falling from her eyes. Her parents, her grandparents, and her aunt watched her until she was gone. They listened to her crying and her door slamming. Gerald scoffed.

"I can see where her disrespect came from," Gerald said, looking toward Ashton, Anna, and Raylene along with Ben and Kayla.

"I don't think so, Dad," Anna retorted as she, her husband, and her sister-in-law turned to the trio. "You, Ben, and Kayla were the disrespectful ones. You gave your own granddaughter an ultimatum!"

"Grandparents aren't supposed to do that. They are supposed to understand," Raylene scolded.

Ashton snorted in fierceness. "Now, you three see why your family moved out here."

Anna took slow yet even breaths. "We will never renounce our support for Andros and Ashley. We intend to help them with their children."

"If you don't like it, that's tough. The twins are my and Anna's grandchildren. We don't want them to be raised by strangers," Ashton said.

Raylene wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm with my brother and sister-in-law. Ashley is my niece, and there is no way in hell that I am turning my back on her. If you do not intend to be part of the twins' lives, then we don't mind. We'd rather they not be around such close-minded people."

Ashton and Anna stood up. They and Raylene headed for the back door. He opened it and allowed the women to go out first. He followed them, closing it behind him. Ben, Kayla, and Gerald looked at each other. They started talking about Ashley's behavior toward them.

00000

In the Johnson residence's living room, the chatter was even livelier. Andros, Karone, TJ, and Joey were in the same seats as earlier. Diane was in the other armchair. Ricky sat in a foldable chair next to his father. Wrapping paper was in a big pile on the floor. Boxes were on the coffee table.

Ricky ripped open a large present from Joey and found a gray box. He looked it over before lifting the lid slowly but surely. He found leather boots and a Los Angeles Dodgers cap. He chuckled excitedly and looked at his father, who gave him a big smile.

"I didn't expect you to get me leather boots or a cap, Dad," Ricky said happily. He showed Andros, Karone, and TJ his gifts. He got approved nods from them. He stood up and went over to Diane. She nodded in approval when she looked at his gifts. He returned to his chair to sit down. "The leather boots were probably expensive."

"Not even close, son. Besides, I felt you could use a spare pair of boots and a new cap," Joey said warmly.

"Thanks, Dad," Ricky said and laid the box on the floor. He hugged him tightly. Joey responded by hugging him back. "Thanks so much."

"You're welcome," Joey replied. He and his son let go of each other. "Just don't let them run away and end up on TJ's feet. After all, you two do have the same shoe size." He snickered.

"Very funny, Grandpa," TJ said sarcastically.

"I'm proud to be funny, my boy," Joey said, gazing at his grandson. "There's nothing you can do to change that."

"I don't want to change that," TJ said, chuckling. "I want you to remain funny until the end of your days."

Joey reached over and slapped TJ in the back of his head. He got a slap to the shoulder from him. He leaned back in the armchair. Andros grabbed a medium-sized present off the coffee table.

"Well, we're down to tonight's final present," Andros announced.

TJ looked at him, laughing lightly. "You are so lucky that it's for you."

Andros eyed him. "I might be, but you're the one who ate the final serving of the lasagna we had for dinner."

"Hey, I can't help it if I was hungrier than everyone else was," TJ commented, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Perhaps I should insert a quarter into you and see if a bag of Doritos comes out of your mouth," Andros joked.

Diane smirked. "How about we add a bag of Fritos to that?"

Andros waved Diane off, and she laughed at him. He returned his attention to the present. He ripped it open, revealing a brown box. He opened it, gasping in awe at what he saw. A silver necklace in the form of chain links was inside it. He turned to Joey.

"This necklace is beautiful, Mr. Johnson. How much money did you spend on it?" Andros wondered.

"Not much at all, Andros," Joey answered truthfully. "I saw that necklace and thought it'd suit you nicely." He winked at the young man.

"I say it does," Andros said, laying the box on the coffee table. He stood up to go over to Joey. He gave him a big hug, getting one from him in return. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, young man," Joey whispered gently. They released their hold on each other. "Just don't let it become tarnished, all right?"

Andros nodded at the elderly man. He headed back to his seat and sat down with a light grunt. He cleared his throat as he focused his attention on Joey.

"Well, there is some news I have to share with you, Mr. Johnson," Andros commented seriously.

"What do you mean, Andros?" Joey asked confusingly.

Andros laughed a little nervously. "It happens to be rather complicated."

"Oh, come on. It can't be complicated. You can tell me whatever it is. I can handle it," Joey answered.

"Okay. I don't know how to tell you this, but Ashley's—" Andros started, swallowing hard.

Joey gave him a serious look. "Ashley's what?"

"Ashley is—" Andros said, becoming a little uncertain.

"Andros, come on. Tell me. Ashley is what?" Joey said, his eyebrows raising.

"Ashley's pregnant with twins. I'm their father," Andros answered loudly.

Joey felt his jaw drop and his eyes grow as wide as saucers. Andros became very tense. Ricky, Diane, TJ, and Karone didn't react, but they had a feeling Joey would react like this.

"I know you weren't expecting this, but I wanted you to know about it," Andros commented gently.

"This isn't something you hear every day, especially from the guy who saved the universe," Joey responded.

"I know, and I am so sorry. Ashley and I just wanted to express—" Andros started, tears coming to his eyes.

Joey held up his hand. "There is no need to apologize, young man. Everyone makes mistakes. I do admit I'm not very thrilled your children were conceived out of wedlock."

Andros sniffled. "I understand. I have gotten a part-time job. I work at the Surf Spot twenty hours a week and get paid eight bucks an hour."

"I helped him open a bank account at SunTrust last Thursday after he got his first paycheck, Grandpa," TJ said.

"I plan to put the fifty bucks you gave me toward the babies," Andros added.

"It's nice to hear that you have taken responsibility. I want you to know that you and Ashley have my full support. If you ever need a babysitter and I happen to be in town, give me a call. I'd love to babysit your little tykes," Joey said with a small chuckle. He laid his hand on the arm.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," Andros responded in relief. He felt sobs rising in his throat.

"I'm sure you and Ashley are putting college on hold," Joey suggested.

"Yes, we are. We realized it would be nearly impossible to raise twins and attend college at the same time after we attended her first ultrasound appointment almost two weeks ago," Andros whispered sadly.

Karone touched her brother's shoulder. "Just because someone doesn't attend college doesn't make them a failure."

"That's true, Karone," Joey said while nodding slowly. "Not everyone is cut out for it." He snorted. "I attended college for one year, but I dropped out because I realized it wasn't for me."

Diane propped her head up with her elbow. "Things don't always work out the way we plan."

"Sometimes, they work out in a way that's even better than the original plan," Ricky added.

Joey couldn't help but smile. He remembered all the times things didn't work out the way he and his family had planned, but they worked out in a way that was even better. He felt bad for children whose parents did everything in their power to shield them from disappointment. He thought they'd be unprepared for the real world because they expected things would always work out.

"Mr. Johnson, would you like to see ultrasound pictures of the twins?" Andros said, a smile crossing his face.

"I'd love to, Andros," Joey said eagerly.

Andros laughed happily. "Great. I'll go get them."

Andros jumped to his feet and went upstairs. The others stared after him until he was gone. They looked at each other.

"One good thing about the twins is their due date is in late July. Andros and Ashley won't have to worry about missing classes," TJ said warmly.

"Do Andros and Ashley plan to attend the prom?" Joey asked, his eyes showing curiosity.

"Yes, sir," Karone answered truthfully. "That is if Ashley is feeling well enough to attend." She sighed. "After all, some expectant mothers suffer morning sickness throughout their pregnancies."

"There is little doubt Ashley will be showing some by then," TJ commented, crossing his arms. "She won't let that bother her, though."

"I see," Joey whispered. He and the rest of the family heard footfalls. They looked up to see Andros coming down the stairs with the ultrasound pictures in his hand. "You took longer than we thought to get the pictures, Andros. Did a monster crawl out from under the bed and try to eat you?"

"Yeah. I karate-chopped him into oblivion," Andros said, laughing delightfully. He approached Joey and handed him the pictures. "I have to warn you. You may not see the twins clearly in some of the pictures."

"That's okay," Joey responded. "After Ashley has her next ultrasound appointment, would you mind emailing me the new pictures?"

"Sure," Andros responded, smiling lightly. "I'll tell her about that."

"Great," Joey said, winking at the young man. "It's time for me to look through these pictures."

Andros headed over to the couch, sitting down with a light grunt. Joey looked at the first picture. He smiled at how clear the twins looked in it. He spoke inaudible words as he turned to Andros.


	59. Gateway to Anywhere

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter fifty-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I changed the name of Cassie's father to Robbie to avoid confusion with Kim's father who is named Robert in chapter twenty-six. I also added a line mentioning Billy isn't with the gang in chapter fifty-five. Stay tuned for chapter sixty.

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Chapter 59: Gateway to Anywhere

A northern mockingbird sat on the Hammond residence's living room windowsill in the midevening. It ran its beak through its back feathers. It spread its wings and flew upward. It landed on Ashley's room windowsill. It looked inside to see her laying asleep on her side on her bed. Her back was facing the window.

Ashley put her arm behind her pillow while letting out a quiet sigh. She fell asleep while crying after what Ben, Kayla, and Gerald had said to her. It actually didn't even take her long to do that. Ashton and Anna did check on her twice, but they didn't wake her up at all. They didn't want to risk her anger over that.

Ashley stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes, but she found blurry vision. She blinked them three times to clear them. She sat up slowly and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She touched her forehead. She couldn't believe she cried herself to sleep. She felt guilty about yelling at her grandparents, but she believed she had no choice but to stand up for herself. She wondered if they and her aunt were still here. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door open. She saw Anna coming into the room.

"Oh, good. You're awake," Anna said in relief.

"Hi, Mom," Ashley whispered with a small sniffle. Her mother came to her side and sat on the bed. "I'm sorry for crying myself to sleep. I just couldn't—"

"Don't be," Anna interrupted gently and touched her daughter's shoulder. "I've cried myself to sleep a number of times myself, especially when I was bullied by kids in elementary school."

"You were bullied?" Ashley asked in surprise.

"It was because I was the smallest girl in my class. Many kids enjoyed calling me pipsqueak and midget. They'd push me around. The teachers tried to protect me, but it didn't always help. The kids eventually stopped picking on me and found someone else to bother," Anna explained.

"Some kids bully others at school because they are bullied at home by their siblings or parents. In some cases, their parents and siblings encourage them to bully others. They see it as the ticket to gaining and maintaining dominance and control over others," Ashley commented.

"Control freaks hate it when they can't control someone. No matter what they do, they can't dominate them," Anna whispered.

"There is no way in hell that Andros and I will allow our children to fall victim to control freaks. We will teach them to stand up for themselves," Ashley said in determination.

"That's my girl," Anna said proudly. "I should call Andros my boy. He will be moving in with us after Christmas."

Ashley gave a shrug as she crossed her left ankle over her right. She let out a small yawn and smacked her lips.

"Are my grandparents still—" Ashley started.

Anna shook her head. "No, they left thirty minutes after you ran upstairs crying. They said you could keep the gifts they gave you, but they won't apologize for what they said about the twins. They're not coming to Christmas Eve lunch. Nor do they have any intention of being part of the children's lives."

Ashley felt her heart breaking. Tears stung at her eyes, but she managed to hold them back. She looked down at her stomach while touching it. She turned back to her mother.

"I'm sorry I yelled at my grandparents, but I just couldn't contain my anger over what they said about the babies," Ashley apologized guiltily.

"You have no reason to apologize," Anna responded in a calm yet stern voice. "You had every right to stand up for yourself. Your dad, your aunt, and I stood up for you too."

Ashley raised her eyebrows. "You did?"

Anna nodded at her. "Yes, we did. Dad, Ben, and Kayla were way out of line in our view. They had no right to demand you and Andros get married or surrender your twins for adoption."

"Thank you for sticking up for me," Ashley whispered in relief.

"You're welcome," Anna replied, kissing the young woman's cheek. "You deserve to have people defending you."

"Everyone does," Ashley said, feeling tears fall down her cheeks. She wiped them away. "No one deserves to be put down, especially those who have fallen on hard times."

"Many poor people got there through no fault of their own," Anna added.

"I know," Ashley murmured. "Anyway, I was expecting my grandparents to have an unpleasant reaction to my pregnancy, but I didn't think they'd actually give me such an ultimatum."

"Neither did your father, your aunt, and I," Anna commented truthfully. "That ultimatum may have worked in the old days, but it doesn't anymore. In fact, most people consider it cruel as it's telling young parents they are horrible people for not conforming to society's 'rules.' What difference does it make if parents are married or not? They can be good to their children either way."

Ashley emitted a sharp exhale. "I'd rather see children grow up with unmarried parents who get along than with married parents who argue constantly."

"Me too. In the old days, people were expected to become parents. If they didn't want to, they were ridiculed and shunned. Even today, they are told they are selfish for not wanting children," Anna said in much disgust.

"Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. Some people love children, but they choose not to have them because they don't have time to be parents. They have very demanding careers," Ashley replied seriously.

Anna squeezed her daughter's shoulder. "I know. My and your father's careers are demanding, but it's never gotten to the point where we didn't have time for you."

"That's good," Ashley said, her voice showing relief.

Anna ran her hand over the young woman's hair. She returned to it her shoulder, rubbing it so lightly that it seemed she wasn't even touching it.

"Some parents shower their children with gifts as a way of alleviating their guilt for not being there for them," Ashley whispered and huffed in some anger. "That's basically buying their love and turning them into spoiled brats."

"In turn, those spoiled brats develop a sense of entitlement where they expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter," Anna said bluntly. "If they don't get what they want, they throw tantrums." She stuck her finger down her throat and gagged.

"Imagine a fifty-something-year-old person throwing a tantrum over not getting what they want. That'd be a sight to see," Ashley muttered sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

"I can tell you one thing. Just because a person is older doesn't make them mature," Anna said, giving a sharp nod and laying her hand in her lap.

"Exactly," Ashley agreed. "Anyway, I'm not going to let my grandparents' refusal to apologize and be part of the children's lives bother me. I'll just let them be their stubborn selves." She slid her hand over her stomach. "Besides, I'd rather the twins not be around such close-minded people. Forgive me for saying that, but it's how I feel."

"There's nothing to forgive," Anna murmured in gentleness. "By the way, I'm looking forward to when the babies start moving. I want to feel them." She laughed sweetly.

"So do I. You once told me you felt me move for the first time when you were eighteen weeks along," Ashley commented.

"That's correct," Anna answered with great pride. "Your father was with me when it happened. I put his hand on my stomach, and he smiled big time when he felt you move."

"Wow," Ashley exclaimed.

"We never had another child because we decided one was enough," Anna said, scratching her leg. "Our parents tried to convince us to have at least one more, but we were content with our decision." She snorted.

"I don't know if Andros and I will have any more children. If we do, it won't be for a long while," Ashley whispered honestly.

"It's best that the twins be a bit older when and if you two decide to have more children. Having too many children at too young an age can put a great deal of stress on parents," Anna said, her voice laced with seriousness.

"No shit," Ashley mumbled. "Andros and I will be stressed enough raising twins, especially during the first several months of their lives."

"I forgot to tell you. Your aunt left nearly an hour ago. She said she will be here for Christmas Eve lunch," Anna said, clearing her throat.

Ashley was about to say something else when the phone started ringing. She rose to her feet and headed over to it. She picked it up on the second ring, putting it to her ear.

"Hello?" Ashley asked.

 _"Hey, Ashley,"_ Andros answered very eagerly.

"Hey, Andros," Ashley said happily and twirled her finger around a strand of hair. "What's up?"

Andros chuckled lightly. " _I thought I'd call and see how everything went with your grandparents. I want to tell you how everything went with TJ's grandfather."_

"I see," Ashley whispered a little nervously. She looked at her mother, who mouthed 'I will see you later.' She watched her stand up and leave the room.

 _"Ashley, what's wrong?"_ Andros asked in concern.

Ashley snorted. "Could you hold on for a second?"

 _"Sure,"_ Andros replied and coughed twice.

Ashley set the phone on the bed carefully. She went over to the door to close it. She returned to the phone to pick it up. She sat on the bed, grabbing a fistful of hair.

"I don't want my parents to come running in here in case I start yelling," she whispered in uncertainty.

 _"What do you mean?"_ he asked confusingly.

"My grandparents didn't take the news of my pregnancy well at all. In fact, they demanded we get married or give the babies up for adoption," Ashley explained bitterly.

 _"What?"_ Andros shouted shockingly.

"There's more," Ashley added. "They said the children needed real parents if we refused to have them within the bounds of marriage." Sobs rose in her throat.

 _"How dare they say that,"_ Andros said angrily. _"They had no right whatsoever to give you such an ultimatum."_

Ashley sighed in sadness. "That's not all of it. I declared to them that we were raising the children as we were. I ran upstairs crying my eyes out. I cried myself to sleep. Mom told me they had left when I woke up. She said they wouldn't apologize and wouldn't be at my house for Christmas Eve lunch. She also said they didn't intend to be a part of the twins' lives. It hurt me so much to hear that."

 _"I'm so sorry, Ashley,"_ Andros apologized sympathetically. _"You didn't deserve to be treated like that. By God, grandparents should understand their grandchildren's situations, even if they don't like them one bit."_

"I know. I hated I yelled at my own grandparents, but I couldn't take what they said lying down. Mom said she, Dad, and Aunt Raylene stood up for me," Ashley pointed out.

Andros sighed in relief. _"That's great. If you want to know how TJ's grandfather took the news, he admitted he wasn't very thrilled our children were conceived out of wedlock, but he pledged his support. He even offered to be babysit if he was in town. He left an hour ago, but he's coming for Christmas Eve lunch."_

Ashley choked back a sob. She was so grateful to Joey for his support of her and Andros. She looked about ready to ask her boyfriend for his hotel room phone number, so she could call him and thank him. Then again, she didn't want to bother him.

"I will tell you this right now. If my grandparents don't want to apologize and be part of the twins' lives, then that's their problem. I'm not letting their behavior toward me ruin my Christmas," Ashley declared.

 _"And you shouldn't,"_ Andros responded. _"We are supposed to respect our elders, but we have every right to call them out when they treat us in a way we don't like."_

She sighed. "Some people will claim I was disrespectful to my grandparents when they learn what happened."

 _"Who cares if they do?"_ Andros said, hissing annoyingly. _"What matters is you stood up for yourself."_ He snorted. _"I'm so proud of you."_

"Thank you," Ashley whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "How did I get so lucky to have you as my boyfriend?"

He laughed quietly. _"How did I get so lucky to have you as my girlfriend?"_

"I can't wait to seduce you with that nightie at the cabin again," Ashley said huskily. "In fact, I will do it on Christmas night."

 _"Oh, I am looking forward to that,"_ Andros whispered seductively. _"What do you say you seduce me in the master bedroom this time?"_

"I'd love to do that," Ashley answered and yawned widely.

 _"I think it's time for you to get to bed,"_ Andros suggested.

"Yes, I am. I will see you, TJ, and Karone at the Christmas party tomorrow," Ashley said lovingly. "I love you."

 _"I love you too. Good night,"_ Andros replied.

Ashley rubbed her eyes before letting out another yawn. "Good night."

Ashley hung up the phone. She stretched her arms above her head before scratching her neck. She stood up with a loud grunt. She went to the door to open it. She walked out of her room and headed for the bathroom.


	60. Off in the Distance

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just three days to get out. It is possible there will be sexual content between Andros and Ashley very soon. It's been a long while since then, and I am ready to return to it. If you want to, you can share this fic with your friends, especially if they are users of this site. Please encourage them to review after they read. I'd love see ideas they may have for it. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-one.

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Chapter 60: Off in the Distance

At the Johnson residence in the late evening, TJ, Andros, Karone, and Ricky sat at the kitchen table immersed in a poker game. TJ was seated at the head. Andros and Karone were to the left and right of him respectively. Ricky was next to Karone. Each player had stacks of coins consisting of nickels, dimes, and quarters. Four nickels were at the table's center. Andros tapped his cards, biting his lip. TJ moved his around, narrowing his eyes at them.

"Check," TJ said.

"I bet ten cents," Ricky said and threw a dime in the pot.

"I call," Karone said and put in a dime.

"I raise you twenty cents," Andros said and tossed in two dimes. He looked toward TJ, who sighed heavily.

"I fold," TJ muttered and threw his cards down.

"I call," Ricky said and slid a dime forward.

"Same here," Andros said and put a dime in the center of the table.

Karone nodded at the remaining players. Andros placed one card on the table and was given a new one by her. Ricky put down three cards, and she gave him three new ones. He watched her discard two cards and get two others. All three players put their cards together.

"Bet is ten cents," Ricky said, tossing a dime.

Andros groaned and slammed his cards on the table. "I fold."

"I see your ten and raise you twenty-five," Karone said and slid a quarter forward.

Ricky put the same amount in the pot. "I call."

Karone and Ricky examined their cards closely. Andros folded his hands and put them on the table. He emitted a loud snort.

"All right, moment of truth," Karone said.

"Spit on this," Ricky announced and laid his hand in front of his opponent, revealing a full house of three kings and two sixes.

"I say that's a very nice hand, Mr. Johnson," Karone replied.

"Thanks," Ricky said and reached for the pot, but he was stopped by her.

"Unfortunately, it's not good enough," Karone said and revealed her hand as a four-of-a-kind consisting of jacks.

Ricky leaned back in his chair and groaned in frustration. He covered his face with his hands before laying them in his lap. Karone gathered the pot eagerly.

"That's the third hand you've won in a row, Karone," Ricky said.

"There seems to be no stopping you," Andros added.

Karone put the coins with their proper groups. "What can I say? I'm just lucky tonight."

TJ smirked. "It'd be really funny is if the cards came to life and started growing to large sizes."

"Yeah. Then they could pick Karone up and throw her out of the kitchen," Andros laughed, jerking his thumb in the direction of the doorway.

"Ha, ha, ha. That's very funny, Andros," Karone retorted sarcastically and gathered the cards.

Andros waved his sister off and watched her put the cards in a stack. TJ stretched his arms above his head.

"I find poker a nice game," TJ said, placing his hands on the table. "You can never be sure what kind of hand you will get." He tapped his fingers on it.

"The probability of getting a royal flush is fifteen thousandths of a percent," Andros said, pointing his finger at the cards.

Ricky showed awe. "That is really small."

"You have a fifty percent chance of getting a high card," TJ said.

Karone scratched her chin. "I don't understand why a hand consisting of three-of-a-kind and one pair is called a full house."

"I don't either. Then again, why isn't there five-of-a-kind?" Andros wondered.

"I don't think we'll ever know," Robert replied.

"Playing poker reminds me a lot of _Maverick,_ " TJ said.

"Yeah. You, Karone, and I watched that movie three months ago. The funniest part was where players were thrown off the steamboat for cheating in the poker tournament," Andros laughed.

"No way, Andros," Karone blurted out. "The funniest part was when Maverick pretended to be an Indian in an effort to swindle a Russian duke of money, so he could participate in the tournament. I laughed so hard that my sides started hurting." She blew a raspberry.

"Yeah, and you knocked the remote off the arm of the couch when you hit your hand on it," Andros smirked.

"Maybe I should turn you off with that remote," Karone retorted.

Andros growled playfully. "Someone should turn you off, Karone."

"Better yet, why don't I mute you with that remote, Andros?" Ricky suggested.

"Only if you switch my voice to Spanish first," Andros said.

Ricky winked at Andros, getting a laugh from him. He placed his hands behind his head while letting out a long whistle.

"Isn't it nice that we're all hanging out in here the night before Christmas Eve?" Ricky asked, smiling lightly.

"It is very nice, sir," Karone admitted eagerly. "Better yet, we kids are going to the Surf Spot's Christmas party tomorrow." She showed excitement.

"Last year's party was a blast. I believe this year will be even better," TJ commented, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"The best part will be whole gang being there, except for Billy," Andros whispered in some disappointment. "It's unfortunate he won't be able to make it back to Angel Grove in time for Christmas."

"At least he is enjoying exploring the country," TJ pointed out comfortingly. "Who knows? He might meet a girl along the way." He winked at his friend.

"It'd be cool if he found himself a new girlfriend," Andros said hopefully. "His breakup with Cestria hurt him deeply." He sighed sadly. "He did get past it, though."

"What I am looking forward to at the party is seeing Lt. Stone play Santa Claus accompanied by Bulk and Skull dressed as elves. Lt. Stone couldn't come decorate because he wasn't able to get time off from work," Karone said, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey, that's life," TJ said honestly. "You can't always get what you want."

"If everyone in the universe got what they wanted, we'd all be spoiled brats to the core," Andros said, an annoyed hiss coming out of his mouth.

TJ, Karone, and Ricky nodded in agreement. Ricky brought his body forward before laying his hands on the table.

"By the way, do you think we could open presents tomorrow?" Karone wondered, looking hopeful as she gazed at Ricky.

"I'm sorry, but you kids have to wait until Christmas Day morning to open your presents," Ricky answered seriously.

Karone became disappointed. "Oh, man. I really wanted to do that. You're so mean." She faked crying.

Ricky showed mock anger. "Suck it up, missy. I'm not changing my mind."

"Okay," Karone answered and pretended to wipe tears from her cheeks. She heard snickering and gave Andros a mock glare. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh your little head off."

"Hey, I can't help it when you look so funny with your fake crying," Andros said, a smirk crossing his lips.

"Why don't you start fake crying, bro?" Karone retorted playfully and curled her hands into fists. She held them up. "I'll give you a punch to the face, so you can." She growled as if she were a bear.

"No, thank you," Andros replied with a shake of his head.

"Aw! You ruined my fun!" Karone whined and formed a pout.

Andros pointed his finger at her. "Keep pouting. I love seeing you do that. You look so cute when you do it too." He let out a small chuckle.

"Okay," Karone said.

TJ pouted, his lower lip quivering. "Don't leave me out of the pouting."

"You can join in, TJ," Andros responded, turning his finger toward him.

"Thank you," TJ commented.

Ricky couldn't stop himself from laughing. He enjoyed watching the teens being silly. It gave him peace of mind, especially in trying times. He became quiet and folded his hands. His face showed seriousness.

"I feel bad for Ashley. I never thought her grandparents would be so callous toward her," Ricky said, his voice showing hints of anger.

"Had I been there when they gave her that ultimatum, I would've chewed them out. I probably would've been crying too," Andros growled bluntly. "I mean, those are our children. We gave them life."

"You have a right to raise them as you guys are," TJ said, letting out a small yawn. "Unmarried parents can be good to their children. Married parents can be bad to theirs."

"Some parents think they can do whatever they want to their children, including treating them like garbage. Then they demand respect from them," Karone muttered with a scoff. "How can anyone say they deserve respect when they're incapable of respecting others?" She shuddered in disgust.

"Those people who demand respect while disrespecting others are just sick in the head," TJ hissed.

"My father once told me respect is earned. It can't be demanded," Ricky commented. "If you want respect, then you treat others the way you want to be treated."

"Of course," Andros agreed. "Ashley and I won't control our children's every move. We will let have them freedom while setting boundaries."

"The more controlling parents are, the more likely their children are to rebel. I read a story about a teen girl who rebelled against her parents' controlling behavior by getting pregnant. They disowned her, but she moved in with her boyfriend's parents and gave birth to a healthy baby boy," Karone explained.

"That's interesting," TJ said in amazement.

Karone was about to say something when the phone rang. Andros stood up and walked over to it. He picked it up on the second ring to put it to his ear.

"Hello?" Andros asked.

 _"Hey, Andros,"_ Ashley replied.

Andros showed surprise. "Ashley, hi. I thought you were asleep."

 _"I was, but I started getting a craving for a McDonald's vanilla milkshake,"_ Ashley commented. _"I couldn't sleep anymore."_

"You want me to get you one, right?" Andros wondered.

Ashley chuckled lightly. _"Yes, I do."_

"Okay. I'll get it right now," Andros answered while nodding slowly. "How about I stay at your house tonight? I think you could use a little bit of my company after what happened earlier."

 _"I'd love that,"_ Ashley said happily.

Andros looked toward Ricky, who gave him a thumbs-up and mouthed 'It's fine with me.' He turned back to the phone.

"Mr. Johnson is fine with it," Andros said, a big smile showing on his face.

 _"Wonderful. I'll ask my parents if you can stay,"_ Ashley responded. _"Hold on for a minute."_

Andros nodded. "Okay."

Andros tapped his foot as he listened to her departing footfalls. He flexed his fingers by opening and closing his hand twice. He heard the footfalls return two minutes later.

 _"My parents are fine with you staying overnight,"_ Ashley said eagerly.

"Great," Andros said very warmly. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

Ashley squeaked with delight. _"You too."_

Andros hung up the phone. He approached Ricky, who looked up at him with a warm smile on his face.

"Thank you for allowing me to do this again," Andros said gratefully.

"You're welcome, my boy," Ricky answered with a wink. "I guess I should go on and tell you good night."

"Good night, sir," Andros commented and gazed at TJ and Karone. "Good night to you two as well."

"Good night, Andros," TJ and Karone said, waving at him.

"I'll let Mrs. Johnson know where I am going and that I will stay with Ashley overnight," Andros said.

"Okay," Ricky said, patting the young man's arm.

Andros walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs. He returned to the kitchen wearing his leather jacket and holding his keys three minutes later. He stopped next to Ricky's chair.

"Mrs. Johnson is fine with me not being here," Andros said, clearing his throat. "Good night, guys. I will see you in the morning."

"Good night, Andros," the others responded.

Andros walked toward the front door. He unlocked it and opened it, its hinges squeaking somewhat. He went outside, closing it behind him. He went to his car to get in. He buckled up before starting the engine. He pulled out of the driveway. He drove off.


	61. Coming Up Rosy

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. To everyone who has been reading "Ride the Wind," that crossover is nearing its end. After I finish with it, I will focus on writing just this fic for a good long while. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-two.

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Chapter 61: Coming Up Rosy

Andros pulled into the mostly empty parking lot of McDonald's within ten minutes. He parked in a parking space close to the entrance, as he didn't want to go through the drive-thru this time. He switched off the engine before getting out. He went inside, passing an employee mopping the floor. He took great care not to step on the wet spot. He approached the first of four cash registers. A cashier walked up to him, smiling at him.

"Good evening, young sir. What can I get you today?" the cashier asked.

"I'd like a medium vanilla milkshake, please," Andros answered.

She nodded at him. "Coming right up."

The cashier went toward the back, humming a sweet tune. Andros dug the heel of his brown tennis shoe into the floor. She returned with the vanilla milkshake two minutes later. She typed in the price before looking at him.

"That will be one dollar and twenty-three cents, sir," she announced.

"Okay," he said and grabbed his wallet from his pocket. He opened it, getting a dollar and three dimes. He gave that to her, and she typed in the amount and rung it up. He closed his wallet and returned it to his pocket. He held up his hand when she attempted to give him his change. "Keep the change."

"All right," the cashier said, putting the nickel and pennies back in their places. "Thank you. Have a nice night. I hope you enjoy your milkshake."

"I believe I will," Andros replied as he grabbed the milkshake. He didn't want to tell her it was for Ashley because of her pregnancy. He wasn't about to be chewed out by her. "Thanks for it."

"Anytime," the cashier said sweetly. "Just watch out. It might come to life and eat you." She snickered.

"I'll keep that in mind," Andros commented with a laugh. "Then again, I wouldn't mind meeting a milkshake monster."

Andros headed outside to his car, whistling to himself. He was about to get in when Damon walked up to him.

"Andros?" Damon asked curiously.

Andros looked toward him as he stopped next to him. "Damon, what are you doing here?"

Damon chuckled. "I'm just here getting a vanilla milkshake. I got a craving for one."

"So did Ashley," Andros said, holding up his milkshake. "Of course, hers is because of her pregnancy." He smiled. "It doesn't matter, though. I'm more than willing to help her satisfy her cravings."

"Even if it's in the middle of the night?" Damon wondered.

"Yep," Andros answered honestly. "Though her getting a craving in the middle of the night hasn't happened yet, I have a feeling it will soon."

"My mom got cravings for the weirdest food combos while she was pregnant with me. In the middle of the night one time, she got a craving for chicken wings, mustard, and mayo," Damon commented.

"That is a weird food combo," Andros admitted. "Ashley ate pancakes with a side of relish for breakfast before Christmas Break started." He snickered to himself.

"That is strange. Anyway, Dad didn't mind getting the chicken wings, mustard, and mayo for Mom. She managed to satisfy her craving," Damon explained with pride.

Andros became curious. "Did she ever crave foods she wasn't fond of? Before learning of her pregnancy, Ashley had a craving for horsey sauce while we were eating lunch with the gang at Arby's. She has never been fond of that at all."

"All the time. For example, Mom was never fond of ice cream, but she craved it a lot during her pregnancy. One time, she ate a bowl of it in seven minutes," Damon explained.

"Talk about a fast eater," Andros said in amazement.

Damon laughed to himself. "You said it."

Andros ran his hand over his hair. He looked toward the moon, seeing it had a ring cloud around it. He turned back to Damon.

"So, how did the first ultrasound go? I want to hear it," Damon said eagerly.

"The ultrasound went very well. Kai confirmed she was exactly seven weeks along and a due date for July 22. He found the babies were growing normally," Andros explained.

"Hold on a second. You just said babies," Damon said in surprise.

"Yeah, I did," Andros admitted while nodding slowly. "Ashley is having twins. She will be monitored more closely and have one ultrasound per month. College has been put on hold until further notice. The next ultrasound is scheduled for January 13." He shrugged.

"Oh, I see," Damon said, his voice showing awe. "Well, congratulations. You guys have two miracles instead of just one. Even better is that you don't have to worry about missing graduation." He winked at his friend.

"Thank you," Andros said warmly. "Our friends and families accepted the news well. Well, most of our families did. Ashley's grandparents demanded we marry or give the twins up for adoption."

"Her grandparents actually gave her that ultimatum?" Damon shouted shockingly.

"Unfortunately," Andros muttered dejectedly and felt a tear fall down his cheek.

"I am so sorry," Damon retorted and scoffed loudly. "We're supposed to respect our elders, but that doesn't give them the right to treat us horribly." He snorted in a quiet manner.

"I would've had some pretty angry words to say if I had been there when they gave that ultimatum," Andros said, sighing heavily. "Anyway, Ashley told me she wouldn't let her their behavior bother her, despite they said they wouldn't apologize and be part of the twins' lives. I respect their beliefs, but that doesn't mean we have to live like them."

"I say they will be missing out. The twins will have great parents," Damon commented truthfully.

"Thanks. At least TJ's grandfather accepted the news well. Karone and I have been living with TJ Johnson and his parents ever since we returned to Earth," Andros explained.

"Has the bullying at school gotten worse?" Damon wondered.

"It has, but it doesn't matter," Andros answered with defiance. "We're not budging with our decision." He gave a sharp nod.

"Great. Well, I should get that milkshake before I lose my craving. It was nice seeing you," Damon said happily.

"It was nice seeing you too," Andros replied in a warm voice.

Damon winked at the young man and went inside. Andros got into the car, placing the milkshake in the cup holder next to him. He buckled up. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He drove off.

00000

At the Hammond residence five minutes later, Ashley was reading _Pregnancy Development_ while sitting on her bed in her room. She focused on a passage that talked about the identification of a child's gender on an ultrasound. She appeared to be in deep thought. Knocking broke her out of that, and she gazed at the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened with a slight squeak, revealing Anna. Ashley smiled at her mother as she came in and closed it behind her.

"Hey, Mom," Ashley greeted.

"Hey yourself, Ash," Anna said, coming to the bed and sitting on it beside her. "Look at you reading that pregnancy book I got you."

"I'm going to be reading it a lot over the next seven months," Ashley said, laughing in delight. She showed her the passage she was reading. "It says here that an ultrasound can identify a vulva or penis between eighteen and twenty weeks."

"You and Andros aren't going to try to find out the genders of the twins, are you?" Anna wondered.

"We already talked about that. We decided we wanted to be surprised," Ashley said, closing the book and laying it aside. "We're still sticking with the names we've chosen for them, especially if they are a boy and a girl."

"They are great names, especially Gabriel and Jessica. By the way, the ultrasound wasn't originally used to monitor a woman's pregnancy. It was first used to detect industrial flaws in ships in 1956. Obstetrician Ian Donald and engineer Tom Brown developed the first prototype in Britain. By the end of the 1950s, it was being used in Glasgow hospitals. It wasn't until the 1970s that its use became widespread in British hospitals. It was well into the decade that it became widely used in American hospitals," Anna explained.

"That's some history," Ashley said, her voice lined with amazement.

"It wasn't until the 1980s that the ultrasound became advanced enough to identify the gender of a child. Even if your father and I knew you were a girl, we wouldn't have told anyone. Of course, our parents would have been begging to know," Anna pointed out.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ashley whispered with a scoff. "They have to know everything that is going on in our lives. They also have to have their say." She shook her head in disbelief. "It's no wonder I lost my temper with them when they—you know."

"I have little doubt they'd be irritated if people had to know everything that was going on in their lives," Anna said bluntly.

"Who wouldn't be?" Ashley wondered. "No one has the right to control other people, even if they happen to be their parents. That's not to say my grandparents are controlling. They just meddle and overreact a lot."

"We would be concerned if your grandparents were living on the Great Plains. The risk of tornadoes is rather high, especially during the spring," Anna said seriously. "However, we wouldn't overreact if their homes were hit by tornadoes. We'd hope for the best and prepare for the worst. That's all we can do."

"Ditto," Ashley agreed.

Just then, the doorbell rang, causing the duo to look up. Ashley opened the nightstand's top drawer. She grabbed the book and placed it inside. She closed the drawer with a loud slam.

"Ashley, Andros is here with your milkshake!" Ashton called from downstairs.

"Tell him to come upstairs to my room, Dad!" Ashley replied in a loud voice.

"Okay!" Ashton said, laughing aloud.

Ashley and Anna listened to footfalls coming up the stairs. Anna stood up and went to the door. She opened it, revealing Andros as he came to the doorway. Ashley swung her legs over the edge and rose to her feet.

"Hi, Mrs. Hammond," Andros greeted.

Anna smiled in happiness and pinched his cheek. "Hi yourself, Andros."

Andros chuckled. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to you pinching my cheek when I move in with you guys."

"Yes, you will," Anna said, flicking his nose. She stepped aside. "You can go to her now."

Andros approached Ashley, handing her the milkshake. He watched her take a long sip. She sighed in relief.

"Oh, that tasted so good," Ashley whispered, gazing at her boyfriend. "Thanks for getting this for me."

"Anytime," Andros said, kissing her cheek. "At least you haven't been impatient with waiting for whatever you were craving for. Many pregnant women are." He made a weird noise.

Ashley shook her head in disbelief. "Patience was probably never their virtue. It is mine most of the time."

Andros ruffled his girlfriend's hair. "You can say the same for me."

Ashley giggled and planted a kiss to Andros's cheek. They heard a clearing throat and looked toward Anna.

"I'm heading downstairs. I'll go on and tell you kids good night," Anna announced.

"Good night," Andros and Ashley responded and laughed raucously.

"You rascals," Anna scolded playfully.

"Tell Dad we said good night too," Ashley said, taking another sip of her milkshake.

"I will," Anna commented, grabbing the doorknob and winking at the couple. "Good night."

Anna closed the door, its hinges squeaking somewhat. Andros and Ashley headed to the bed to sit down. She laid her milkshake on the nightstand after sipping a bit more.

"You won't believe what happened in the parking lot of McDonald's," he commented excitedly.

"What?" she wondered.

He let out a happy laugh. "I ran into Damon, the guy we met at the hospital."

"No way," Ashley replied surprisingly.

"Yes way. I told him about what's happened since the ultrasound," Andros explained, sipping his arm around her shoulder.

"It's nice to know you ran into the guy we knew for only a few minutes," Ashley whispered in sweetness. "Maybe he'll come to the Surf Spot's Christmas party. He'd be able to meet the rest of the gang."

"I'd like to see that," Andros said, kissing her temple. He rubbed her arm so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even touching it. "Anyway, I hope the Chens are enjoying their Christmas vacation in New York City."

She sighed sadly. "I wish we could be there. It's the perfect place for teen parents to get away from bullies."

"Yes, but we have our own perfect place to get away to. It's your aunt's cabin," Andros pointed out.

"I know," Ashley said with a slow nod. "I can't wait until we are there. We'll be doing plenty of lovemaking over four days." She giggled.

"And you'll seduce me with that nightie on Christmas night," Andros said, tickling her chin. "You are so sexy in that thing."

"I'm glad you said that," Ashley whispered lovingly. "I won't wear it for anyone but you."

Andros growled playfully and kissed Ashley. She slipped her arms around his neck, feeling his go around her waist. Their kiss deepened quite a bit. Their tongues touched, groans coming from their mouths. Their heartrates quickened as electricity went up and down their spines. She kissed her way down to his neck. She licked at it. She went to his ear and traced her tongue over it. Suddenly, he regained his senses and took hold of her shoulders. He pushed her away, causing her to look at him confusingly.

"Andros, what gives?" she asked.

"As much as I want to make love to you right now, I think it's best you finish your milkshake first. You don't want it to melt, do you?" he responded.

"No, I don't," Ashley said, shaking her head. She snorted to herself. "In fact, I'm still craving it." She grabbed the milkshake and took a long sip. "At least McDonald's milkshakes don't taste horrible like those in many fast-food places do."

"Thank God," Andros whispered in relief. "The milkshakes at Burger King taste good too."

"Yep," Ashley agreed. "I'm glad we can still make love while I'm pregnant. Who came up with the idea that sex during pregnancy caused miscarriage?"

"I don't know," Andros mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Whoever thinks that can stick with it. I don't have to believe it."

"Me neither," Ashley commented. "I'd better get going on finishing this milkshake if we are going to get it on."

"You better," Andros quipped and kissed her temple. He watched her sip more of the milkshake.


	62. Much Needed Intimacy and Some Sickness

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. I can't believe I've gotten four hundred reviews. A shoutout goes to brankel1 for being the four hundredth reviewer. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, Ms. Catherine Willmon 2016, and katxox for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. It has sexual content, so I advise you not to read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. On top of that, I felt it was time to write a sex scene featuring this couple since I hadn't done that since chapter seventeen, though there has been mention of them making love in chapters after that one. More will come in the near future. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-three.

XXXXX

Chapter 62: Much Needed Intimacy/Some Sickness

Andros and Ashley were kissing fiercely on her bed thirty minutes later. He was on his back, and she hovered over him. The covers were pulled down. Their hands wandered over each other's bodies so slowly that it seemed they weren't even moving. Their hearts pounded so hard that it seemed they would leap out of their chests and land on the floor any second. Electricity coursed through their veins, and their tongues fought for control. Loud moans came from their mouths.

He sat up, grabbing fistfuls of her hair. His hands seemed to have a mind of their own when they went to her green nightshirt. He ripped it open, sending the buttons flying everywhere. He tossed it aside after taking it off. She took the helm of his blue t-shirt and pulled it upward. He broke the kiss and held up his arms, which allowed her to remove it. She threw it over her shoulder. She didn't care where it landed.

The couple engaged in more passionate kissing. They wrapped their arms around each other, attempting to get as close as possible. She trailed kisses to his ear. She traced her tongue over it, smiling at a groan coming from his mouth. She nibbled on the earlobe gently at first, but she increased the pressure. He grabbed at her shoulders as if trying to keep himself from going over the edge.

She kissed down to his pulse point. She alternated between licking at and nibbling on it. He growled intensely. He got louder when she bit down on him. The pain faded quickly. He knew a mark would be there in the morning, but he didn't mind one bit. He was happy to be with her and that not even her situation with her grandparents would keep him away from her. He felt her kiss his neck.

"Oh, Ashley," he whispered while kissing her shoulder.

She growled seductively. "My Andros."

Andros slid his hands to Ashley's breasts after she kissed him. He fondled them very slowly, almost as if he was teasing them. He kissed down to the valley between her breasts. He buried his face there and sucked on it hard. She threw her head back, a loud moan escaping her lips. She touched his head and tapped it gently. He looked up and received another kiss from her.

She slipped her tongue into his mouth, smiling against his lips when she heard him moan softly. She kissed her way to his neck. She ran her tongue along it before blowing on it. He moaned quietly, grabbing a fistful of her hair as she nibbled on it. They became engaged in a passionate kiss. Their tongues wrestled each other once more.

She pulled away from him. She slid her hands downward, stopping at his belt. She unbuckled it in a slow manner. He smiled, knowing she was teasing him. She unbuttoned his dark jeans before unzipping them. She pulled them off. She climbed back on top of him. She kissed him while tracing every muscle that lined his chest, back, and stomach with her hands. She laid him back down on the bed.

She traveled to his neck to kiss at it hungrily. She went to his earlobe to nibble on it. He emitted a small whimper. She kissed her way back to his lips. She plunged her tongue into his mouth to trace every inch of it. An ecstatic moan came from him. She slid her hands up and down his body. She trailed kisses down to his chest. She alternated between licking at and sucking on the spot over his heart. She proceeded to run her tongue over his chest and stomach. He groaned, grabbing at the headboard with both hands.

Ashley captured her boyfriend's lips in a hard kiss. She teased his tongue with hers. She rolled his nipples in her hands in which they became hard. She took his left nipple into her mouth. He growled intensely at her teasing it with her tongue. He arched his back and grabbed at the covers with both hands. He became louder when she bit down on it, followed by blowing on it. His breathing came out in pants.

She gave the right nipple the same amount of attention. He moaned pleasurably while rolling his head back into the pillow. He tightened his grip on the blanket. She kissed him passionately. Their tongues fought each other for control. They groaned into each other's mouths. They hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

"I love you so much, Ashley," Andros whispered lovingly.

"I love you too, Andros," Ashley responded with just as much love.

Andros turned his and Ashley's bodies until he was on top of her and in between her legs. He broke their lip lock to kiss her neck hungrily. She tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. She sighed in delight as he licked at her earlobe before giving it a gentle bite. She felt the familiar fire building within her veins, as did he in his.

He pulled away and looked down at her breasts. He ran his tongue over them, causing her to groan quietly. He focused his attention on the left nipple. He teased it, smiling at it hardening underneath his touch. He took it into his mouth, sucking on it. She sighed in pleasure, her head rolling back into the pillow. She got louder when he bit down on it. Her breathing came out in shudders when he blew on it. His other hand moved up to the right nipple. He teased it into hardness.

Andros took Ashley's other nipple into his mouth, sucking on it. She was unable to keep a whimper from escaping her mouth. Her hands slid into his hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. Her grip tightened when he bit down on her nipple. In fact, she appeared ready to pull it out. She felt him blow on it. He kissed her once more, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her jaw before tracing his tongue along it.

He broke the kiss to look down at her green night shorts. With a lustful growl, he ripped it to pieces. He did the same to her blue underwear. He tossed them away. He kissed her once more while bringing a hand between them. He touched her wet folds and began to fondle them. She gasped softly, moving her hips with his motions as he stroked her clit with his thumb. She gasped in ecstasy when she came. She was so lost in it that she was unable to breath.

Ashley's high ebbed away. A sated feeling rushed through her body. She groaned in frustration when he broke the kiss. She saw him smile at her. She realized he wasn't done yet. He kissed from her forehead down to her entrance. He looked at her left inner thigh. He licked at it before alternating between nibbling and sucking on it. She hissed when he gave it a hard bite.

He turned toward her right inner thigh. He gave it the same amount of attention. She groaned softly yet excitedly. He looked at her entrance. He rubbed his face against it, her whimpers of pleasure echoing in his ears. He sucked on it before blowing on it. He plunged his tongue inside her. He began to fondle her sex ravenously. He emitted a soft growl.

She whimpered once more, her hands flying above her and grabbing at the headboard. She upped the volume somewhat, feeling him beginning to fondle her clit with his tongue. She moved her hips with his motions. He went faster, and she increased her pace. She gasped as she came. She was unable to breathe since she was very lost in it.

Ashley came down from her high. The same sated feeling went through her body. Andros came to her eye level and kissed her. She smiled at tasting the sweetness on his lips. She plunged her tongue into mouth to get more of it. She turned their bodies until she was on top of him. He moaned softly. She broke the kiss. She looked at his shorts, seeing his erection poking through them. She took the waistband. She pulled them and his red underwear off. She gasped in awe at his erection springing free. She got back on top of him to give him another kiss.

She grabbed his cock. She stroked slowly but surely, receiving a soft yet pleasurable groan from him. She twisted her hands around it. She decided to go faster. He squeezed his eyes shut, a whimper leaving his mouth. She pumped him hard. His hands flew above him, grabbing at the headboard. He tore away from the kiss to stare into her eyes after opening them.

"You're killing me," he groaned.

"I'm glad I am," she said seductively. "That's not all I am going to do to you."

Ashley released her hold on Andros's cock. She moved off him and spread his legs apart. She leaned down to kiss his right inner thigh. She licked up and down on it. He groaned softly, looking upward toward the ceiling. He became a little louder at her biting down on him. She lavished his left inner thigh with the same amount of attention. He emitted a small whimper. He looked down at her, seeing she was staring up at him. She smiled and massaged his balls in a circular motion. The fire within him was climbing higher. He had no doubt it was doing the same within her.

He kept his eyes on the ceiling, his hands tightening their grip on the headboard. She squeezed his balls gently, causing him to growl. She licked from his scrotum to the top of cock. She went back and forth five times, chucking at his soft groans. She nibbled on the scrotum before licking at it. He clenched his teeth. He felt as if he could lose himself any second now, but he wouldn't let that happen. He looked down at her.

"Ashley, I can't hold on much longer. I need to be inside you right now," he hissed.

She ceased her ministrations and came to his eye level. "Your wish is my command."

Ashley balanced herself on her hands and knees while Andros took himself in hand. She lowered herself in a slow manner. He growled playfully as he could tell she was teasing him. He held himself in hand until he felt her buttocks against it. She groaned at the tip of him touching her entrance. She didn't stop her descent until he was completely inside her. She started to move up and down on him, her hands going above his shoulders. He grabbed her hips, assisting her in moving on him. He met her movements with his.

He touched her breasts, and her head flew back as she emitted a moan. He gave her nipples hard pinches. He took a nipple into his mouth, biting down on it. He smiled at a pleasurable hiss coming from her. He repeated both of his actions with the other nipple, getting a whimper from her. He grabbed at her hair with an intense growl.

He kissed her hard. He made her way to her neck to lick at it. He nibbled on it so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even doing it. He went to her earlobe to trace his tongue along it. She emitted a loud moan. She could feel the fire within her climbing higher. She had no doubt it was just as intense in him.

Ashley kissed her boyfriend's lips once more. She planted kisses down to his chest. She rubbed her face on the spot over his heart before sucking on it. She looked toward the left nipple. She decided to slide her tongue over it. He hissed quietly while anchoring her head to him. She lavished attention on his right nipple. She kissed him once more.

He felt fire within him reaching its peak. He moved his hand to her clit, massaging it. She sighed in ecstasy. Her hands gripped the pillow so tightly that she appeared ready to rip it. She closed her eyes, a soft whimper leaving her mouth. They kissed long and hard, loud groans going into each other's mouths. She tore away from his lips. She stared into his eyes after opening hers.

"Andros, I'm about to lose it," Ashley moaned with much sexual intensity.

"So am I," Andros answered as he sat up and took hold of her hips. He moved her harder and faster on him. He thrusted up into her just as hard and fast. They were almost at their climax. "Come for me, Ashley."

Ashley increased the speed of her movements. She leaned her head back when Andros took her left breast into his mouth and sucked on it. She moaned as her climax took her, and it triggered his. He bit down on her breast while coming with a muffled moan. Their bodies spasmed against each other. Their arms went around each other, their heartbeats returning to normal.

Andros found himself unable to sit up any longer. He fell back on the bed, taking his girlfriend with him. He positioned her to where he remained inside her. She laid her head on his chest, swallowing hard. He slipped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"That was such an incredible lovemaking session," she said sweetly.

"It sure was. Not once did I ever think I'd make love to a pregnant woman," he admitted. "I'm glad I did."

She giggled as she took her head off his chest. "This woman happens to be pregnant with twins." She kissed his cheek.

He ruffled her hair. "That she is. I bet some students and teachers will say we shouldn't be doing this while you are pregnant because they think it will hurt the babies."

"Let them fuss about that. I'm not giving up sex unless it begins to pose a risk to my health," Ashley said with a scoff.

"We will have to make love in other positions once your belly becomes too big for us to do it the regular way," Andros pointed out.

"I'm okay with that," Ashley said comfortingly and touched her stomach. "Moreover, I am glad you impregnated me. There is no other man I'd rather have as the father of my children than you."

"There is no woman I'd rather have as the mother of my children than you," Andros whispered, bringing his hand to her cheek.

The lovebirds kissed sweetly. Ashley returned her head to Andros's chest, sighing in content. She felt his hand stroke her back.

"I'd give anything to stay connected to you like this," Ashley whispered.

"So would I, but we do have lives to live," Andros responded in seriousness. "On top of that, you have your pregnancy to deal with."

"I know, but it'd be cool if we could remain this way," Ashley said, taking her head off his chest. She kissed his nose. "You're so awesome in bed that I can't enough of you."

"I can't get enough of you due to your awesomeness in bed either," Andros commented. "In fact, I want you right now."

He flipped her over on her back. He kissed her hard as he began to move within her again. His cock hardened again. She moaned delightfully. He kissed her jawline. He smothered her neck with hungry kisses. She tilted her head to the side, giving him better access.

"Oh, Andros," Ashley cried in ecstasy and stroked his back. "Oh, shit. That feels so good."

"I will make it feel even better," Andros growled with much sexual intensity. "You can count on it."

Andros returned to Ashley's lips for a hard kiss. He pushed his tongue into her mouth. He got a heady moan from her. His thrusts increased in speed and intensity. He kissed down to her neck once more. He went to her pulse point. He sucked on that. She whimpered while moving her hands to his shoulders. They became lost in another lovemaking session.

00000

Andros slept on his side in the early morning. He took slow yet even breaths. The covers covered him from the chest down. He and Ashley fell asleep ten minutes after midnight following their fourth lovemaking session. Both of them were laying on their sides when that happened. He had his arm around her while she was pressed against him.

He rolled over to put his arm around his girlfriend, only to be met with air. He woke up to find her gone. He touched her spot, finding it was still quite warm. He pressed his lips together. He pushed himself into a sitting position while letting out a long yawn. The covers fell from his chest. He rubbed his eyes as he wondered where she was.

Just then, the sound of vomiting caught his attention. He got out of bed and grabbed his underwear and boxer shorts from beside it. He put the former on, followed by the latter. He approached the door and opened it slowly. The last thing he wanted was to be confronted with an angry Ashton and/or Anna for waking them up. He headed for the bathroom. He walked inside, seeing Ashley leaned over the toilet. He went to her side as she stopped throwing up. She panted hard.

"You okay, Ash?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. She tried to rise to her full height, but she was unable to and threw up the rest of her stomach contents. She felt him grab her hair and pull it back. She breathed hard, touching the top of her forehead. She managed to catch her breath. "You can let go now. I'm okay."

He let go of her hair, allowing her to stand up slowly. She flushed the toilet and walked over to the sink, her body shaking a little bit. She turned on the water to gather some in her hand. She put it in her mouth. She swished it around before spitting it out. She switched it off. He came to her side, touching her shoulder. She looked at him.

"I wasn't expecting to get sick after going to the bathroom," Ashley whispered in annoyance. "I wish I could predict when the nausea will hit."

"So do I. It makes me wonder if you've gotten sick in the shower yet," Andros responded.

"Unfortunately, I did three days ago," Ashley whispered grimly. "It was after I had eaten eggs and bacon for breakfast. I felt so embarrassed, but I was relieved my parents were at work at the time. I did manage to finish my shower once I regained my bearings."

"Well, that's good," Andros said in relief. "Anyway, I read on the internet that expectant fathers experience sympathetic pregnancies sometimes. Among the symptoms are weird food cravings, nausea, vomiting, etc. It has another name, Couvade syndrome. The symptoms may signify an empathic identification with a pregnant partner and to the man's unborn child. It could also be a resolution of unconscious thoughts that might threaten both."

"Wow," Ashley whispered in amazement. "Do you think that will happen to you?" She raised an eyebrow as she tightened the string on her pink robe.

"I don't know," Andros admitted with a shrug. "You wouldn't have to suffer alone, though."

"I don't want a sympathetic pregnancy to happen to you. Then again, it'd be amusing to see you eat weird food combos," Ashley said, a giggle leaving her mouth.

"Like ice cream and ketchup?" Andros asked, furrowing his brow.

"If you're craving it," Ashley said, winking at him. She felt him kiss her forehead. "Thanks for pulling my hair back while I was getting sick."

"No problem. I'll do anything for the mother of my children," Andros said, putting his hand over her stomach.

"I'll do anything for the father of my children," Ashley replied and kissed his lips.

Footsteps caught the lovebirds' attention. Anna came into the bathroom while tying the string on her white robe. She joined her daughter's side as she finished that. Andros and Ashley gazed at her.

"Ashley, are you okay? I heard you getting sick and wanted to check on you," Anna said in concern.

Ashley nodded at her mother. "I'm okay, Mom. Andros helped me by holding my hair back."

Andros took his hand away from his girlfriend's stomach. "I heard her getting sick after I found she wasn't in the bed and came to help her."

"Oh, good," Anna said, warmth coming from her voice. "Ashley, your father held my hair back while I was getting sick during my pregnancy more times than I can even count."

"I have little doubt many of those times occurred in the middle of the night," Ashley commented.

"Oh, yes," Anna admitted. "There were days I would throw up three times. Then I'd go up to four days without suffering any morning sickness."

"Wow," Ashley whispered in great awe. "Thank God I didn't get sick while my grandparents were here. They could've become suspicious."

"Either that or they would've assumed something didn't agree with your stomach," Anna added.

"I would've hoped for the latter," Andros said in seriousness.

Anna sighed heavily. "Me too. I don't want my grandchildren to be around close-minded people like my father, my father-in-law, and my mother-in-law. I love all three of them to death, but it's not right that they treated my daughter with such contempt because of her pregnancy."

Andros and Ashley nodded in agreement. They wondered if Ben, Kayla, and Gerald would ever come around and be part of the twins' lives. However, they weren't about to let that ruin their Christmas cabin stay before it got started. They were determined to have a great time.

"I don't know how to tell you this, kids, but Ashton and I heard you two making love when we were coming up the stairs to go to bed," Anna admitted.

"You did?" Ashley asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Yes. We didn't bother you," Anna said, smiling lightly. "Besides, you two needed the intimacy after what happened earlier."

"It was wonderful," Ashley said, looking happily at Andros. "Of course, we'll be doing it in other positions once my stomach expands. I think it will be fun." She squeaked joyfully.

"I think so too," Andros whispered eagerly. "I'm grateful we still have an active sex life." He kissed the spot underneath her ear.

"Spare me the details about your sex life, kids," Anna warned in playfulness. "I'm going back to bed."

"Good night, Mom," Ashley answered, kissing her mother's cheek.

"Good night, Mrs. Hammond," Andros added.

"Good night," Anna said, walking away with a laugh. "Sleep tight."

Andros and Ashley headed back to her room. He closed the door. She removed her robe, revealing she was wearing a sleeveless white nightgown. They got into the bed and pulled the covers over them. He laid on his back, and she snuggled up to him. She placed her head on his chest. He slipped his arms around her.

"Thanks for not mentioning to my mom that you ripped my nightclothes off during foreplay," she whispered with a snicker.

"I don't regret doing that one bit," he answered with a smile. "It was rather fun to do." He winked at her.

"Yeah," Ashley agreed and yawned widely. "Good night, Andros. I love you."

"I love you too, Ashley," Andros replied, love echoing from his voice. "Good night."

Andros and Ashley closed their eyes. They let out contented sighs as they fell into a peaceful sleep.


	63. A Way to Wake Up and Shower Speak

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. I can't believe I've gotten four hundred reviews. A shoutout goes to brankel1 for being the four hundredth reviewer. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, Ms. Catherine Willmon 2016, and katxox for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. It has sexual content, so I advise you not to read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. On top of that, I felt it was time to write a sex scene featuring this couple since I hadn't done that since chapter seventeen, though there has been mention of them making love in chapters after that one. More will come in the near future. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-three.

XXXXX

Chapter 62: Much Needed Intimacy/Some Sickness

Andros and Ashley were kissing fiercely on her bed thirty minutes later. He was on his back, and she hovered over him. The covers were pulled down. Their hands wandered over each other's bodies so slowly that it seemed they weren't even moving. Their hearts pounded so hard that it seemed they would leap out of their chests and land on the floor any second. Electricity coursed through their veins, and their tongues fought for control. Loud moans came from their mouths.

He sat up, grabbing fistfuls of her hair. His hands seemed to have a mind of their own when they went to her green nightshirt. He ripped it open, sending the buttons flying everywhere. He tossed it aside after taking it off. She took the helm of his blue t-shirt and pulled it upward. He broke the kiss and held up his arms, which allowed her to remove it. She threw it over her shoulder. She didn't care where it landed.

The couple engaged in more passionate kissing. They wrapped their arms around each other, attempting to get as close as possible. She trailed kisses to his ear. She traced her tongue over it, smiling at a groan coming from his mouth. She nibbled on the earlobe gently at first, but she increased the pressure. He grabbed at her shoulders as if trying to keep himself from going over the edge.

She kissed down to his pulse point. She alternated between licking at and nibbling on it. He growled intensely. He got louder when she bit down on him. The pain faded quickly. He knew a mark would be there in the morning, but he didn't mind one bit. He was happy to be with her and that not even her situation with her grandparents would keep him away from her. He felt her kiss his neck.

"Oh, Ashley," he whispered while kissing her shoulder.

She growled seductively. "My Andros."

Andros slid his hands to Ashley's breasts after she kissed him. He fondled them very slowly, almost as if he was teasing them. He kissed down to the valley between her breasts. He buried his face there and sucked on it hard. She threw her head back, a loud moan escaping her lips. She touched his head and tapped it gently. He looked up and received another kiss from her.

She slipped her tongue into his mouth, smiling against his lips when she heard him moan softly. She kissed her way to his neck. She ran her tongue along it before blowing on it. He moaned quietly, grabbing a fistful of her hair as she nibbled on it. They became engaged in a passionate kiss. Their tongues wrestled each other once more.

She pulled away from him. She slid her hands downward, stopping at his belt. She unbuckled it in a slow manner. He smiled, knowing she was teasing him. She unbuttoned his dark jeans before unzipping them. She pulled them off. She climbed back on top of him. She kissed him while tracing every muscle that lined his chest, back, and stomach with her hands. She laid him back down on the bed.

She traveled to his neck to kiss at it hungrily. She went to his earlobe to nibble on it. He emitted a small whimper. She kissed her way back to his lips. She plunged her tongue into his mouth to trace every inch of it. An ecstatic moan came from him. She slid her hands up and down his body. She trailed kisses down to his chest. She alternated between licking at and sucking on the spot over his heart. She proceeded to run her tongue over his chest and stomach. He groaned, grabbing at the headboard with both hands.

Ashley captured her boyfriend's lips in a hard kiss. She teased his tongue with hers. She rolled his nipples in her hands in which they became hard. She took his left nipple into her mouth. He growled intensely at her teasing it with her tongue. He arched his back and grabbed at the covers with both hands. He became louder when she bit down on it, followed by blowing on it. His breathing came out in pants.

She gave the right nipple the same amount of attention. He moaned pleasurably while rolling his head back into the pillow. He tightened his grip on the blanket. She kissed him passionately. Their tongues fought each other for control. They groaned into each other's mouths. They hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

"I love you so much, Ashley," Andros whispered lovingly.

"I love you too, Andros," Ashley responded with just as much love.

Andros turned his and Ashley's bodies until he was on top of her and in between her legs. He broke their lip lock to kiss her neck hungrily. She tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. She sighed in delight as he licked at her earlobe before giving it a gentle bite. She felt the familiar fire building within her veins, as did he in his.

He pulled away and looked down at her breasts. He ran his tongue over them, causing her to groan quietly. He focused his attention on the left nipple. He teased it, smiling at it hardening underneath his touch. He took it into his mouth, sucking on it. She sighed in pleasure, her head rolling back into the pillow. She got louder when he bit down on it. Her breathing came out in shudders when he blew on it. His other hand moved up to the right nipple. He teased it into hardness.

Andros took Ashley's other nipple into his mouth, sucking on it. She was unable to keep a whimper from escaping her mouth. Her hands slid into his hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. Her grip tightened when he bit down on her nipple. In fact, she appeared ready to pull it out. She felt him blow on it. He kissed her once more, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her jaw before tracing his tongue along it.

He broke the kiss to look down at her green night shorts. With a lustful growl, he ripped it to pieces. He did the same to her blue underwear. He tossed them away. He kissed her once more while bringing a hand between them. He touched her wet folds and began to fondle them. She gasped softly, moving her hips with his motions as he stroked her clit with his thumb. She gasped in ecstasy when she came. She was so lost in it that she was unable to breath.

Ashley's high ebbed away. A sated feeling rushed through her body. She groaned in frustration when he broke the kiss. She saw him smile at her. She realized he wasn't done yet. He kissed from her forehead down to her entrance. He looked at her left inner thigh. He licked at it before alternating between nibbling and sucking on it. She hissed when he gave it a hard bite.

He turned toward her right inner thigh. He gave it the same amount of attention. She groaned softly yet excitedly. He looked at her entrance. He rubbed his face against it, her whimpers of pleasure echoing in his ears. He sucked on it before blowing on it. He plunged his tongue inside her. He began to fondle her sex ravenously. He emitted a soft growl.

She whimpered once more, her hands flying above her and grabbing at the headboard. She upped the volume somewhat, feeling him beginning to fondle her clit with his tongue. She moved her hips with his motions. He went faster, and she increased her pace. She gasped as she came. She was unable to breathe since she was very lost in it.

Ashley came down from her high. The same sated feeling went through her body. Andros came to her eye level and kissed her. She smiled at tasting the sweetness on his lips. She plunged her tongue into mouth to get more of it. She turned their bodies until she was on top of him. He moaned softly. She broke the kiss. She looked at his shorts, seeing his erection poking through them. She took the waistband. She pulled them and his red underwear off. She gasped in awe at his erection springing free. She got back on top of him to give him another kiss.

She grabbed his cock. She stroked slowly but surely, receiving a soft yet pleasurable groan from him. She twisted her hands around it. She decided to go faster. He squeezed his eyes shut, a whimper leaving his mouth. She pumped him hard. His hands flew above him, grabbing at the headboard. He tore away from the kiss to stare into her eyes after opening them.

"You're killing me," he groaned.

"I'm glad I am," she said seductively. "That's not all I am going to do to you."

Ashley released her hold on Andros's cock. She moved off him and spread his legs apart. She leaned down to kiss his right inner thigh. She licked up and down on it. He groaned softly, looking upward toward the ceiling. He became a little louder at her biting down on him. She lavished his left inner thigh with the same amount of attention. He emitted a small whimper. He looked down at her, seeing she was staring up at him. She smiled and massaged his balls in a circular motion. The fire within him was climbing higher. He had no doubt it was doing the same within her.

He kept his eyes on the ceiling, his hands tightening their grip on the headboard. She squeezed his balls gently, causing him to growl. She licked from his scrotum to the top of cock. She went back and forth five times, chucking at his soft groans. She nibbled on the scrotum before licking at it. He clenched his teeth. He felt as if he could lose himself any second now, but he wouldn't let that happen. He looked down at her.

"Ashley, I can't hold on much longer. I need to be inside you right now," he hissed.

She ceased her ministrations and came to his eye level. "Your wish is my command."

Ashley balanced herself on her hands and knees while Andros took himself in hand. She lowered herself in a slow manner. He growled playfully as he could tell she was teasing him. He held himself in hand until he felt her buttocks against it. She groaned at the tip of him touching her entrance. She didn't stop her descent until he was completely inside her. She started to move up and down on him, her hands going above his shoulders. He grabbed her hips, assisting her in moving on him. He met her movements with his.

He touched her breasts, and her head flew back as she emitted a moan. He gave her nipples hard pinches. He took a nipple into his mouth, biting down on it. He smiled at a pleasurable hiss coming from her. He repeated both of his actions with the other nipple, getting a whimper from her. He grabbed at her hair with an intense growl.

He kissed her hard. He made her way to her neck to lick at it. He nibbled on it so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even doing it. He went to her earlobe to trace his tongue along it. She emitted a loud moan. She could feel the fire within her climbing higher. She had no doubt it was just as intense in him.

Ashley kissed her boyfriend's lips once more. She planted kisses down to his chest. She rubbed her face on the spot over his heart before sucking on it. She looked toward the left nipple. She decided to slide her tongue over it. He hissed quietly while anchoring her head to him. She lavished attention on his right nipple. She kissed him once more.

He felt fire within him reaching its peak. He moved his hand to her clit, massaging it. She sighed in ecstasy. Her hands gripped the pillow so tightly that she appeared ready to rip it. She closed her eyes, a soft whimper leaving her mouth. They kissed long and hard, loud groans going into each other's mouths. She tore away from his lips. She stared into his eyes after opening hers.

"Andros, I'm about to lose it," Ashley moaned with much sexual intensity.

"So am I," Andros answered as he sat up and took hold of her hips. He moved her harder and faster on him. He thrusted up into her just as hard and fast. They were almost at their climax. "Come for me, Ashley."

Ashley increased the speed of her movements. She leaned her head back when Andros took her left breast into his mouth and sucked on it. She moaned as her climax took her, and it triggered his. He bit down on her breast while coming with a muffled moan. Their bodies spasmed against each other. Their arms went around each other, their heartbeats returning to normal.

Andros found himself unable to sit up any longer. He fell back on the bed, taking his girlfriend with him. He positioned her to where he remained inside her. She laid her head on his chest, swallowing hard. He slipped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"That was such an incredible lovemaking session," she said sweetly.

"It sure was. Not once did I ever think I'd make love to a pregnant woman," he admitted. "I'm glad I did."

She giggled as she took her head off his chest. "This woman happens to be pregnant with twins." She kissed his cheek.

He ruffled her hair. "That she is. I bet some students and teachers will say we shouldn't be doing this while you are pregnant because they think it will hurt the babies."

"Let them think that. I'm not giving up sex unless it begins to pose a risk to my health," Ashley said.

"We will have to make love in other positions once your belly becomes too big for us to do it the regular way," Andros pointed out.

"I'm okay with that," Ashley said comfortingly and touched her stomach. "Moreover, I am glad you impregnated me. There is no other man I'd rather have as the father of my children than you."

"There is no woman I'd rather have as the mother of my children than you," Andros whispered, bringing his hand to her cheek.

The lovebirds kissed sweetly. Ashley returned her head to Andros's chest, sighing in content. She felt his hand stroke her back.

"I'd give anything to stay connected to you like this," Ashley whispered.

"So would I, but we do have lives to live," Andros responded in seriousness. "On top of that, you have your pregnancy to deal with."

"I know, but it'd be cool if we could remain this way," Ashley said, taking her head off his chest. She kissed his nose. "You're so awesome in bed that I can't enough of you."

"I can't get enough of you due to your awesomeness in bed either," Andros commented. "In fact, I want you right now."

He flipped her over on her back. He kissed her hard as he began to move within her again. His cock hardened again. She moaned delightfully. He kissed her jawline. He smothered her neck with hungry kisses. She tilted her head to the side, giving him better access.

"Oh, Andros," Ashley cried in ecstasy and stroked his back. "Oh, shit. That feels so good."

"I will make it feel even better," Andros growled with much sexual intensity. "You can count on it."

Andros returned to Ashley's lips for a hard kiss. He pushed his tongue into her mouth. He got a heady moan from her. His thrusts increased in speed and intensity. He kissed down to her neck once more. He went to her pulse point. He sucked on that. She whimpered while moving her hands to his shoulders. They became lost in another lovemaking session.

00000

Andros slept on his side in the early morning. He took slow yet even breaths. The covers covered him from the chest down. He and Ashley fell asleep ten minutes after midnight following their fourth lovemaking session. Both of them were laying on their sides when that happened. He had his arm around her while she was pressed against him.

He rolled over to put his arm around his girlfriend, only to be met with air. He woke up to find her gone. He touched her spot, finding it was still quite warm. He pressed his lips together. He pushed himself into a sitting position while letting out a long yawn. The covers fell from his chest. He rubbed his eyes as he wondered where she was.

Just then, the sound of vomiting caught his attention. He got out of bed and grabbed his underwear and boxer shorts from beside it. He put the former on, followed by the latter. He approached the door and opened it slowly. The last thing he wanted was to be confronted with an angry Ashton and/or Anna for waking them up. He headed for the bathroom. He walked inside, seeing Ashley leaned over the toilet. He went to her side as she stopped throwing up. She panted hard.

"You okay, Ash?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. She tried to rise to her full height, but she was unable to and threw up the rest of her stomach contents. She felt him grab her hair and pull it back. She breathed hard, touching the top of her forehead. She managed to catch her breath. "You can let go now. I'm okay."

He let go of her hair, allowing her to stand up slowly. She flushed the toilet and walked over to the sink, her body shaking a little bit. She turned on the water to gather some in her hand. She put it in her mouth. She swished it around before spitting it out. She switched it off. He came to her side, touching her shoulder. She looked at him.

"I wasn't expecting to get sick after going to the bathroom," Ashley whispered in annoyance. "I wish I could predict when the nausea will hit."

"So do I. It makes me wonder if you've gotten sick in the shower yet," Andros responded.

"Unfortunately, I did three days ago," Ashley whispered grimly. "It was after I had eaten eggs and bacon for breakfast. I felt so embarrassed, but I was relieved my parents were at work at the time. I did manage to finish my shower once I regained my bearings."

"Well, that's good," Andros said in relief. "Anyway, I read on the internet that expectant fathers experience sympathetic pregnancies sometimes. Among the symptoms are weird food cravings, nausea, vomiting, etc. It has another name, Couvade syndrome. The symptoms may signify an empathic identification with a pregnant partner and to the man's unborn child. It could also be a resolution of unconscious thoughts that might threaten both."

"Wow," Ashley whispered in amazement. "Do you think that will happen to you?" She raised an eyebrow as she tightened the string on her pink robe.

"I don't know," Andros admitted with a shrug. "You wouldn't have to suffer alone, though."

"I don't want a sympathetic pregnancy to happen to you. Then again, it'd be amusing to see you eat weird food combos," Ashley said, a giggle leaving her mouth.

"Like ice cream and ketchup?" Andros asked, furrowing his brow.

"If you're craving it," Ashley said, winking at him. She felt him kiss her forehead. "Thanks for pulling my hair back while I was getting sick."

"No problem. I'll do anything for the mother of my children," Andros said, putting his hand over her stomach.

"I'll do anything for the father of my children," Ashley replied and kissed his lips.

Footsteps caught the lovebirds' attention. Anna came into the bathroom while tying the string on her white robe. She joined her daughter's side as she finished that. Andros and Ashley gazed at her.

"Ashley, are you okay? I heard you getting sick and wanted to check on you," Anna said in concern.

Ashley nodded at her mother. "I'm okay, Mom. Andros helped me by holding my hair back."

Andros took his hand away from his girlfriend's stomach. "I heard her getting sick after I found she wasn't in the bed and came to help her."

"Oh, good," Anna said, warmth coming from her voice. "Ashley, your father held my hair back while I was getting sick during my pregnancy more times than I can even count."

"I have little doubt many of those times occurred in the middle of the night," Ashley commented.

"Oh, yes," Anna admitted. "There were days I would throw up three times. Then I'd go up to four days without suffering any morning sickness."

"Wow," Ashley whispered in great awe. "Thank God I didn't get sick while my grandparents were here. They could've become suspicious."

"Either that or they would've assumed something didn't agree with your stomach," Anna added.

"I would've hoped for the latter," Andros said in seriousness.

Anna sighed heavily. "Me too. I don't want my grandchildren to be around close-minded people like my father, my father-in-law, and my mother-in-law. I love all three of them to death, but it's not right that they treated my daughter with such contempt because of her pregnancy."

Andros and Ashley nodded in agreement. They wondered if Ben, Kayla, and Gerald would ever come around and be part of the twins' lives. However, they weren't about to let that ruin their Christmas cabin stay before it got started. They were determined to have a great time.

"I don't know how to tell you this, kids, but Ashton and I heard you two making love when we were coming up the stairs to go to bed," Anna admitted.

"You did?" Ashley asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Yes. We didn't bother you," Anna said, smiling lightly. "Besides, you two needed the intimacy after what happened earlier."

"It was wonderful," Ashley said, looking happily at Andros. "Of course, we'll be doing it in other positions once my stomach expands. I think it will be fun." She squeaked joyfully.

"I think so too," Andros whispered eagerly. "I'm grateful we still have an active sex life." He kissed the spot underneath her ear.

"Spare me the details about your sex life, kids," Anna warned in playfulness. "I'm going back to bed."

"Good night, Mom," Ashley answered, kissing her mother's cheek.

"Good night, Mrs. Hammond," Andros added.

"Good night," Anna said, walking away with a laugh. "Sleep tight."

Andros and Ashley headed back to her room. He closed the door. She removed her robe, revealing she was wearing a sleeveless white nightgown. They got into the bed and pulled the covers over them. He laid on his back, and she snuggled up to him. She placed her head on his chest. He slipped his arms around her.

"Thanks for not mentioning to my mom that you ripped my nightclothes off during foreplay," she whispered with a snicker.

"I don't regret doing that one bit," he answered with a smile. "It was rather fun to do." He winked at her.

"Yeah," Ashley agreed and yawned widely. "Good night, Andros. I love you."

"I love you too, Ashley," Andros replied, love echoing from his voice. "Good night."

Andros and Ashley closed their eyes. They let out contented sighs as they fell into a peaceful sleep.


	64. Gather Around the Kitchen Table

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I added that Johnny was to be in court to enter his plea for felony weapon possession on January 10 in chapter fifty-five. I had forgotten to put that in. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-five.

XXXXX

Chapter 64: Gather Around the Kitchen Table

Anna used a fork to pour scrambled eggs from a small bowl into a skillet on the kitchen stove twenty minutes later. She put both in the sink before filling the bowl with warm water. She looked out the window to see a northern mockingbird sitting on the windowsill. The mockingbird chirped a beautiful melody. She winked at it. She returned to the stove and picked up a plastic spoon. She began stirring the eggs. She looked at a large bowl, a plate of bacon, and a coffee-filled mug sitting on the counter next to her.

Ashton was reading the newspaper while sitting at the table. He picked up his coffee-filled mug to take a long sip. He laid it down, sighing to himself. The table had plates set up with silverware at his spot and on either side of him. He folded his newspaper before laying it on the table. Anna looked over her shoulder at him.

"What exciting news did you read, Ashton?" she asked.

"I didn't read any exciting news, Anna. It was just the same boring stuff. Much of it was negative," he replied, rolling his eyes.

She shifted her attention back to the eggs. "I figured. Teens need a lively atmosphere with all the doom and gloom in the universe."

He scoffed. "That's all the news talks about these days. People would rather be negative than positive."

"If the media would show more positive stuff, then the universe would be a better place," Anna said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't sell. All the media cares about is ratings and money. If they would just put both aside, then they could really make a difference," Ashton said with a heavy sigh.

"Fat chance of that happening," Anna muttered bluntly. "We have to focus on our own positivity."

"You're right. We can't let people take that away from us," Ashton pointed out seriously.

"People like Johnny, Bianca, Tara, Brian, Veronica, and Erica love to make people miserable because they are. Misery loves company," Anna said, hissing in anger. "I'd love to give each of them ten hard whacks on their butts with a wooden paddle for the trouble they've caused our daughter and her friends."

"Kendrix was brave to stand up to her sister in the Surf Spot. I wish I could've seen the humiliation on Erica's face. I would've told her she deserved it and to suck it up," Ashton said with great pride.

"Me too," Anna agreed. "Erica, Tara, and Veronica are such spoiled brats that it makes me want to puke." She acted as if she were vomiting onto the floor.

"The ultimate humiliation for that trio would be for them to lose all their wealth in bad business deals and have to walk around in ragged clothes," Ashton commented matter-of-factly.

Anna nodded in agreement. Ashton snapped his fingers and clicked his tongue twice. He placed his hands behind his head.

"Let's pray that Johnny doesn't violate the restraining order," Anna whispered in some fear. "I don't want him endangering our daughter and unborn grandchildren. I know we are capable of protecting ourselves, but I just don't want him near us for the rest of our lives."

"Neither do I," Ashton answered and showed frustration. "His trial for felony weapon possession may not happen for months if he enters a not-guilty plea on January 10. Why do the wheels of justice have to crank so slowly?"

"I don't know," Anna whispered honestly. "We have to be patient. We'll know when he will go to trial in time."

"If I could speed things up in the justice system, I'd do it in a heartbeat," Ashton said, laying his hands on the table.

"So would I, honey," Anna admitted. "So would I."

Approaching footfalls caught the couple's attention. They looked toward the doorway to see Andros and Ashley coming into the kitchen.

"Well, good morning, lovebirds," Ashton greeted.

"Hi, Dad," Ashley said, joining his side along with Andros.

"Your dad and I heard you two getting it on from in here earlier," Anna said with a small giggle.

"We were that loud?" Andros wondered.

"You two might as well woken up the whole neighborhood," Ashton said, clapping three times. "I hope a bear doesn't come knocking on the cabin's front door because of you."

Andros shrugged. "We hope that doesn't happen either. Then again, you never know, right?"

Ashton gave a thumbs-up. "Right. Speaking of bears, that reminds of the Looney Tunes classic cartoon called _Wabbit Twouble_. Elmer Fudd played dead when he was confronted by a bear."

"I remember that. It is so funny, but playing dead only works if it is a mother bear protecting her cubs. It doesn't work for a predatory bear," Ashley pointed out.

"The best ways to survive an encounter with a bear are to make lots of noise and carry pepper spray. If contact is made, you fight back with everything you have," Anna commented.

Ashley gave a sharp nod. "That's right."

Andros placed his arm around his girlfriend. He kissed her temple before giving her a small hug. He let go of her, putting his hands behind his back. Anna noticed their damp hair.

"I have a feeling you two took a shower together. We could hear the blow dryer going," Anna said, snorting softly.

"Yes, Ashley and I did take a shower together, Mrs. Hammond," Andros admitted, looking a little nervous. "I hope you and your husband don't mind."

"We don't care," Ashton answered while shrugging. "We just don't want you using up the hot water."

"By the way, the eggs are nearly ready," Anna said, shifting her attention back to the eggs.

"Mom, Dad, would you mind if Andros had breakfast with us?" Ashley wondered.

"Not at all. Besides, he'll be doing it again after he moves in with us," Anna answered eagerly.

"He'll be eating other meals with us as well. Besides, it's likely his family thinks he's still asleep since he did stay up late," Ashton added.

"Thank you," Andros commented in happiness. "Is there anything I can do?"

"You can take the bacon to the table," Anna responded, turning back to the eggs. "Ashley can get a plate and silverware for you."

Andros gave a thumbs-up and went to the counter to get the bacon. He took it to the table to set it in the center. Ashley grabbed a plate from the cabinet next to the refrigerator and a fork and a knife from the silverware. She headed to the last chair, putting them in their proper places.

Andros and Ashley went to the cabinet next to the sink to get glasses. They headed to the refrigerator. She opened and grabbed the orange juice. She poured it into her glass until it was nearly full. She did the same to his glass. She returned the jug to the refrigerator before closing it. Ashton emitted a chuckle, causing them to look at him.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you two were orange juice twins," Ashton joked.

"Hey, orange juice is good for the babies," Ashley responded, taking a long sip of her juice. She went to the chair on her father's left and seated herself. "We need all the Vitamin C we can get." She put her glass down as Andros went to his chair and sat down.

"On top of that, everyone knows Vitamin C can help people recover from illness faster," Andros pointed out and took a sip of his juice before putting his glass down. "Unfortunately, too much of a good thing can be bad."

Ashley sighed heavily. "Kai told us about a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome. It is the most common cause of female infertility. It often begins soon after a woman's first period."

"It is characterized by irregular periods, excess body hair, acne, weight gain, pelvic pain, difficulty conceiving, and enlarged polycystic ovaries with numerous small fluid-filled sacs," Andros added.

Ashton swallowed hard. "I've read about that. It can be difficult for a woman to lose weight if she has that condition. However, diet and exercise have been known to have a significant impact on it."

"Some women with the condition don't know they have it with the exception of difficulty conceiving. The drug metformin is very useful to help manage sugar cravings. It can also help to correct irregular periods. Anti-androgens are drugs that reduce male hormone levels. These can help stop excess hair growth and reduce acne," Ashley added.

"I see. I do feel bad for women who have the condition. They want to have children, but they can't unless they treat it," Ashton said sadly.

"Life can really suck, but you have to keep going forward. You can't let things get you down," Andros said in a calm yet firm voice.

Anna finished the eggs and tapped the spoon on the skillet's side three times. She switched off the burner. She dumped them into the bowl. She took the skillet to the sink. She put it in and filled it with warm, soapy water. She grabbed the eggs and her mug. She went to the table. She sat down in the chair on Ashton's right before laying her mug down. She scraped some eggs on her plate before giving them to Ashley. She got two pieces of bacon.

"If there's one thing I love about orange juice, it's that it tastes delicious," Anna said and picked up her fork. She poked it into her eggs and managed a decent amount on it. She placed them into her mouth to chew. She swallowed, gulping quietly.

"Oh, yes," Ashley agreed and scraped eggs onto her plate. She gave them to Andros, who proceeded to scrape some onto his. "I'm glad I wasn't turned off by it. I don't know what I would've done if I couldn't drink it." She laughed nervously.

"I'm sure you'll be happy to get to back to drinking coffee once you have the twins, Ash," Andros said and finished with the eggs. He handed them to Ashton, who started scraping them onto his plate. He and Ashley got three pieces of bacon each. He picked up his fork and got a decent amount of eggs on it. He put them in his mouth, chewing quickly before swallowing. "The eggs are good."

"Thanks," Anna said and picked up her bacon. She broke off a piece and popped it into her mouth. She chewed slowly but surely. She swallowed before licking her lips. She laughed warmly. "The bacon's good as well."

Ashton finished with the eggs. He set them in the center of the table and got two pieces of bacon.

"I will be more than happy to get back to drinking coffee after I have the twins," Ashley admitted somberly. "It stinks that it doesn't appeal to me right now, but I can deal with it. On top of that, Kai told me consuming more than two hundred milligrams of caffeine per day can increase the risk of miscarriage." She tensed at that.

"Two hundred milligrams of caffeine is what you get in one ten-ounce cup of Starbucks coffee," Andros exclaimed.

Anna let out a sharp exhale. "A ten-ounce cup isn't a big one, but it can hold a lot of stuff that isn't good for you in it."

Ashley picked up her bacon. "Even if coffee appealed to me right now, I still wouldn't risk the health of my children." She bit into it and chewed in a slow manner. She swallowed. "It's not worth it. Of course, I have been consuming foods on the not-to-eat pregnancy list."

"Fries are one of them," Andros said, grabbing his juice to take a sip. He laid it down with a quiet sigh. "You ate that entire basket of fries and ranch dressing I gave you the day Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Tanya learned about the twins at the Surf Spot."

"The fry-and-dressing combo was really good," Ashley squeaked in cheerfulness. "I never know what weird food combo I will crave next."

"Why do I get this feeling you will be asking me to get you something at a fast-food restaurant in the middle of the night really soon?" Andros wondered, looking at her.

"I don't know," Ashley answered, turning to her boyfriend. "What matters is getting my craving satisfied. If I have to wake you up in the middle of the night to get whatever it is I am craving, I will do it." She poked him in the chest with his finger. "You might as well deal with it."

"I'm more than willing to do it," Andros whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Don't start smooching now. You can save that for later," Ashton quipped, a snicker leaving his mouth.

Andros gazed at Ashton along with Ashley. "Yes, Mr. Hammond. I could call you ma'am, though."

"Oh, get out of town, Andros," Ashton retorted playfully.

"No, you get out of town," Andros said, picking up his bacon and pointing it at Ashley's father.

Ashton held up his hands, pretending to look scared. "Don't point that bacon at me. It might go off."

"Okay. I'll just eat it instead," Andros said, taking a big bite out of the bacon. He chewed it quickly, swallowing with a loud gulp. He nodded approval. "Talk about good."

"Just don't turn into a pig," Anna joked, a smirk forming on her face. "Bacon does come from pigs."

"Mom would be biggest pig in this family if she became one," Ashley said, leaning close to Andros.

"I heard that!" Anna blurted out.

Ashley pulled away from Andros. She looked at her mother and blew a raspberry at her. Anna stuck her tongue out at her daughter. She pulled it back into her mouth. The group continued with its breakfast.


	65. Male Bonding and More Time Together

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has a bit of Andros/Ashley. It also has sexual content. As before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. By the way, I came up with the idea of Andros moving in with Ashley and her parents because I felt he should be close to her, especially since she is pregnant with twins. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-six.

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Chapter 65: Male Bonding/More Time Together

Ashton scrubbed a plate with a sponge in soapy water forty minutes later. He got it clean before rinsing it off. He gave it to Andros, who put it in the dishwasher's bottom. He cleaned up the plastic spoon before giving it to him. Andros slipped it into the silverware rack. Ashton grabbed the large bowl and began to scrub it. Andros put his hand on the counter and leaned against it somewhat.

"I have to say that Ashley was very hungry this morning," Andros said.

"You're not kidding. She gobbled down six pieces of bacon and two servings of eggs," Ashton said, chuckling quietly. "I was expecting her to throw it up right after breakfast, but she didn't." He sighed in relief.

"I was fortunate to hear her throwing up in the middle of the night. It allowed me to help her hold her hair back," Andros whispered, sighing heavily. "It also gave me my first glimpse of what she has to go through with morning sickness."

"I wish it wasn't called morning sickness. The nausea and vomiting don't always happen in the morning," Ashton mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"I know," Andros agreed. "Anyway, I can't help but wonder if Ashley will clear out the refrigerator at some point during her pregnancy." He snickered.

"It'd never happen," Ashton said, clicking his tongue. "No one gets that hungry, even if they are pregnant."

Ashton gave the young man the bowl. He watched him put it in the dishwasher's top. Laughter caught their attention. Ashton rinsed his hands of the soapsuds before drying them with a towel. They walked to the doorway to see Anna watching _Mulan_ on the couch. She had just seen Mushu frighten two men on the roof of the emperor's palace.

"Good going, Mushu! You really showed those guys!" Anna yelled very cheerfully.

Ashton and Andros couldn't stop themselves from smiling. They returned to the dishwasher and sink respectively. Andros saw him grab the skillet to wash it.

"Anna loves Mulan so much," Ashton commented.

"I remember when Ashley and I went to see it at the Oswald Theater. Some men whined and complained about Mulan being a better fighter than some of the male characters were. They think only men should do any form of protecting," Andros explained, giving a shrug.

Ashton shrugged. "Hey, that's what they believe. Women can be just as good at protecting others as men are. A man is supposed to protect a woman, but there are times where she must protect herself."

Andros snorted. "Ashley fought without my help dozens of times. She might be pregnant, but she is still capable of sticking up for herself and others. If anyone tells her she's harmless due to her condition, they had better watch out. She could go postal on them due a bad mood swing."

Ashton managed to get the skillet clean. He rinsed it off and handed it to Andros, who placed it on the bottom. Andros filled the compartment with dishwashing soap before closing the dishwasher. He turned it on and watched Ashton drain the sink. Ashton washed the soapsuds off his hands. He gave Andros a high-five.

"We make a great team, Andros," Ashton said gleefully.

"Yes, we do, Mr. Hammond," Andros answered. They formed fists and bumped them together. "I'm looking forward to washing dishes with you again. I've never minded doing it one bit." He smiled.

Ashton placed his hands on his sides. "Well, guys should help with the household chores. My parents told my sister and me that both of us were to do the housework."

"Mom and Dad told Karone and me the same. So have TJ's parents," Andros said, crossing his arms.

"Ashley told me you two overheard people saying young children shouldn't be watching movies such as _The Lion King_ and _Bambi_ during your date at Piper's Pizza Place. They mentioned the movies were too scary for them and should be banned," Ashton muttered.

"We didn't like hearing that, but that's what they believe. Still, why do some people want to shield children from everything?" Andros said, anger showing in his voice.

"I don't know," Ashton said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I do know children who are shielded from everything have trouble coping in the real world."

Andros groaned. "Those children just as bad as those who are spoiled with gifts by their parents."

"Remember this. Don't worry about what other people think of you when it comes to your children. It's up to you and Ashley to decide what you want for them. No one has a right to judge you for it," Ashton said softly.

"I'll tell you this. Ashley and I plan to let our children watch movies such as _The Lion King_ and _Bambi_ ," Andros declared and uncrossed his arms.

"Great," Ashton commented and smiled warmly. "Just don't let the hyenas or dogs leap out of the TV and eat the twins."

Andros punched Ashton in the arm. He got a punch to his from him in retaliation. He slapped him lightly on one cheek, followed by the other. He tapped him on the nose.

"I'm glad this house has three bedrooms. I would've been fine with you giving me the guest room, but you decided it was best that I stay with Ashley in hers," Andros said, warmth echoing from his voice. "In fact, I'd rather be with her than away from her."

"The one-bedroom apartment her mom and I had when she was a newborn was small, but it was comfortable. We liked having her sleep beside us in a bassinet. The downside was her crying woke us up," Ashton said, cringing as he remembered all the times that happened.

"Karone and I slept in the same room but in separate cribs when we were babies. We shared it until Darkonda kidnapped her when she was just six years old," Andros muttered sadly, as that memory played in his mind.

"What astounds me is your sister was caring and compassionate when she was Astronema the first time around. That was despite she was raised to be evil," Ashton said in awe.

"It was mostly due to her longing for me. She also briefly fell in love with Zhane before she learned of her identity. I was surprised when they told me that," Andros exclaimed.

"The universe works in crazy ways, huh?" Ashton asked, winking at the boy.

"You bet, Mr. Hammond," Andros agreed. "You bet."

Ashton ruffled Andros's hair. He received a noogie from him and gave him one in return. They formed big smiles on their faces.

"It's going to be wonderful living with this family. I wish we didn't have to deal with such close-mindedness from Ashley's grandparents," Andros muttered in frustration.

Ashton let out a heavy sigh. "I know. Many families looked picture perfect from the outside in the old days. Behind closed doors, child abuse ran rampant." He hissed angrily. "This included sexual abuse. Children couldn't tell anyone because dissing one or both of your parents was harshly frowned on. If they did, no one believed them because people never took their word over that of an adult."

"I'm glad parents take the word of their children over that of adults now. Children deserve to have their voices heard," Andros commented.

"Yes, they do," Ashton responded, clearing his throat. "Unfortunately, parents don't always believe their children are being abused by someone they trust. Sometimes, they blame them for it, especially if they are daughters being raped by their fathers." He looked disgusted.

Andros hissed in anger. "Blaming a child for the abuse they are suffering from is the most horrible thing a parent can do. Next to murdering them, that is."

"Anyone who kills a child deserves to be put to death," Ashton declared fiercely.

"Oh, yeah," Andros said, giving a sharp nod. "The death of a child is one of life's greatest tragedies. What might have been is always on everyone's minds. When it comes intentionally at the hands of a parent, it is just an outrage."

Ashton nodded in agreement. They looked out the window to see two northern mockingbirds sitting on the windowsill. The mockingbirds chirped softly. Ashton and Andros turned to each other.

"I better go say goodbye to Ashley. I need to get home," Andros whispered regretfully.

"Okay," Ashton said, nodding at him. "By the way, take as much time as you need with her."

"Thank you," Andros said and gave his girlfriend's father a big hug. Ashton responded by giving him a bigger hug. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before breaking away from each other. "I'll go to her now."

Andros headed out of the kitchen and into the living room. He passed in front of Anna, who looked up with much curiosity. He stopped in his tracks as he reached the stairs.

"Going to say goodbye to Ashley, aren't you?" Anna asked.

"Yes, I am," Andros said, going up the stairs. "I shouldn't be too long."

Anna watched until the boy was out of sight. She turned back to the movie. Ashton joined her side and sat down with a light grunt.

00000

Ashley was reading _The Blue Lagoon_ while sitting on her bed in her room. She finished a page and turned to the next one. She looked toward the window to see an American robin sitting on the windowsill. The robin ran its beak through its wing feathers. It did the same to its back ones. It emitted a soft chirp once it was finished.

Ashley turned back to her book and resumed reading as the robin spread its wings and took off into the sky. She mumbled inaudible words while pushing her bangs out of her eyes. Just then, knocking caught her attention. She closed her book and laid it aside. She looked toward the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened with a loud squeak. Andros walked in and closed it behind him. Ashley smiled at him.

"Hey, Andros," she greeted and swung her legs over the side.

"Hey, Ash," he replied and came to her side. He seated himself beside her on the bed. "I wanted to come say goodbye. It's time for me to go home."

"I understand," Ashley whispered sympathetically. "I really enjoyed having you here last night. Your presence was so soothing to me." She sniffled. "It's times like this I wish we could be together all the time."

"We will be together a lot after I move in," Andros said and laid his hand on her stomach. "By the way, I'm going to help your father put the nursery together."

"Really?" Ashley asked, feeling her eyes widen in surprise.

Andros nodded at her. "Yeah. We talked about it while we were doing the dishes. He thought it'd be a good way for us to spend time together."

"I agree," Ashley said, a giggle coming out of her mouth. "Just watch out for his paintbrush. He enjoys touching people with it."

"If he touches me with his paintbrush, then I will do the same to him with mine," Andros said defiantly. He showed off his muscles. "No one paints me and gets away with it." He growled as if he were a bear.

"Yeah. You're so tough," Ashley said, kissing his cheek as he lowered his arms. "You're so sexy too." She flicked his nose.

"You're just as sexy," Andros whispered, slipping his arm around her shoulder. He placed his hand on her stomach. "You'll still be sexy, no matter how big your stomach gets."

Ashley squeaked in a soft manner. "I'm glad to hear that."

The lovebirds kissed tenderly. Andros planted a kiss to Ashley's temple before rubbing his face against it. He let go of her. She looked at her nightstand. She opened the top drawer, pulling out the one hundred dollars, which consisted of a fifty, two twenties, and one ten, her grandparents gave her.

"Andros, I'd like for you to put this money into your bank account. The babies need all they can get," Ashley said in seriousness.

"Are you sure?" Andros wondered. "I don't want you to be without any money." He placed his hand on her cheek.

"I'm sure," Ashley replied honestly. "I don't need any money right now. It's important that we save as much for the babies as possible."

"I understand. I'm glad you want to contribute," Andros commented, taking his hand away. Just then, an idea came to his mind. "I'll tell you what. You keep thirty dollars, and I'll put the rest into my account. You never know when you might need cash for an emergency."

"Okay," Ashley said with a nod. She selected a twenty and a ten and placed them into the drawer. She closed it with a loud slam. She gave the rest to her boyfriend, who put it in his pocket. "I appreciate you doing this for me."

"I'm willing to do anything for you," Andros said, tapping her nose with his finger. "You know that."

"Mm-hmm," Ashley whispered, sighing contently.

"I should tell you that I won't be able to put the money into my account until after we get back from the cabin," Andros pointed out.

"I'm okay with that," Ashley responded, shrugging. "Besides, we might need it in an emergency."

"It doesn't matter if we use it for an emergency or not. What matters is that it will help the twins. Let's not forget we will be spending a lot of money on clothes during their first year. Babies grow very quickly," Andros said matter-of-factly.

"I will be helping with that once I get a full-time job," Ashley commented, laying a hand on his arm. "I have little doubt we'll be living with my parents for a while." She snorted. "I'm okay with that, though. I'd rather live in a nice house than a rundown apartment."

"Me too," Andros admitted and laughed to himself. "This house will be full like the one the Tanners lived in during the entire run of _Full House._ "

"Yes, but it will be full of love," Ashley squeaked in cheerfulness. "There's no other way I'd want it."

"Me neither," Andros answered and leaned close to her ear, a mischievous smile showing on his face. "Just don't let the babies drink too much of your milk. I'd love to have some myself."

Ashley blushed somewhat and pushed Andros back. He laughed before winking at her. He brought his hand up to her cheek. He leaned close to her, kissing her softly. His kiss turned passionate. He moved his hand to her neck, bringing the other one to it. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, touching hers. She emitted a soft yet excited moan. Suddenly, she regained her senses and broke the kiss. She looked into his eyes.

"Wait a minute. Shouldn't you be getting home?" she wondered.

He touched her cheek. "In a few minutes. Right now, I just want to be intimate with you."

He kissed her passionately. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, making her groan softly. She slid her hands into his hair, gripping it so tightly that it seemed she'd rip it out. She felt him kiss his way down to her neck. He licked at it before blowing on it. She leaned her head back, sighing in ecstasy. Their hearts pounded relentlessly in their chests. Electricity shot through their bodies at such a rapid rate that it appeared it wouldn't stop.

Andros unbuttoned Ashley's shirt. He slid it down her arms once he got it open. He took it off, tossing it to the floor. He broke the kiss and removed his shirt. He threw it beside hers. She moved back a bit on the bed and laid down, allowing him to get on top of her and in between her legs. They kissed passionately, their hands wandering and groping everywhere. He traced his tongue along her jawline. He traveled down to her neck, giving it a hard bite. She gasped painfully. She sighed in relief at the pain fading.

The lovebirds engaged in another passionate kiss. He fondled her breasts slowly but surely. He gave them hard squeezes. She let out an ecstatic scream. She felt him kiss from her jawline to her neck. She kissed his shoulder while he sucked on the latter. Her hands traced every muscle that lined his chest, stomach, back, and arms.

"Oh, Andros," she groaned.

He smothered her neck with hungry kisses. "Yes, Ashley. Yes."

Andros and Ashley kissed once more. She made her way to his neck. She nibbled on it before giving it a blow. He was unable to hold back an excited moan. He winced painfully at her biting down on him. He emitted a relieved sigh when the pain vanished. She went to his ear and traced her tongue along it. She nibbled on his earlobe. She was gentle at first, but she upped the pressure. He growled intensely. They hugged each other, not wanting to let go. The familiar fire began to build within them.

He kissed her neck before giving it a long lick. He ran his hands all over her body, the skin breaking out in goosebumps. He pulled away from her, staring at her intensely. He really wanted to rip the rest of the clothes off, but he wasn't going to do that. He took the waistband of her pants. He pulled them and her underwear down in a slow manner. She giggled, knowing he was teasing her.

She saw the large bulge in his jeans. She knew he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. She unbuckled his belt. She undid the button and zipper. She pushed them, his shorts, and his underwear down. He helped her with that. His cock sprung forward, causing her breathing to come out in pants. She looked at him, swallowing hard.

He aligned his cock at her entrance. He kissed her while slipping inside her until he was sheathed to the hilt. He began thrusting in and out of her immediately. She wrapped her arms around him. She leaned her head to the side when he alternated between kissing and sucking on her neck. Their grunting and groaning mingled together.

"That feels so good, Andros," Ashley whispered seductively. She whimpered when he bit down on her neck. She got a little louder at him blowing on it. "Oh, shit. Oh, God!"

"That's it, Ashley," Andros growled in fierceness. "Let it all out."

Andros captured Ashley's lips in a fierce kiss. He upped the speed and intensity of his thrusting, his body tightening with each passing second. He plunged his tongue into her mouth. He traced every inch of it, and she moaned headily. He kissed down to her pulse point. He licked at it before blowing on it. She whimpered, grabbing at his shoulders so tightly that she'd break them if she was very strong.

He kissed her lips once more. He slipped his tongue into her mouth. She moaned quietly, and he smiled against her lips. He moved his hands up and down her body so slowly that it seemed he wasn't doing that at all. He began kissing her neck again. She kissed his shoulder. She traced it with her tongue before nibbling on it. He growled intensely and grabbed at her hair. The fire within him was building to such a strong point that he'd explode any second. There was no doubt in his mind it was doing the same in her.

He pulled away to stare into her eyes. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. He upped the speed and intensity of his thrusting. The fire in both of them was reaching its peak. He tightened his grip on her somewhat. She whimpered so quietly that he didn't even hear it. He leaned down, pressing her forehead against hers.

"I feel it coming," she whispered.

He hissed to himself. "I do too."

Andros kissed his girlfriend very hard. His thrusts became harder and faster. His grip on her wrists grew even tighter. Their climax was almost at its peak. He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers once more. She emitted an ecstatic cry. She captured his lips in a kiss. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, and she couldn't stop a groan from leaving it.

He finally released himself into her. She echoed her release to him without any time in between. They broke the kiss to stare into each other's eyes. Their panting was in sync. Their bodies trembled quite a bit. His grip on her loosened as well. She reached up to touch his cheek. She stroked it with the back of her hand. They swallowed hard, their trembles ceasing.

"That was amazing," Ashley whispered lovingly.

"Oh, yeah," Andros agreed.

The lovebirds kissed tenderly. He leaned down and laid his head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat. She stroked it with both hands.

"We are going to have so much fun making love at the cabin," she said.

"We sure will," he agreed and breathed deeply. "What I can't wait for is you seducing me with your nightie."

"I admit that was my favorite part of our previous time at the cabin. I can never forget the look on your face when you saw me in it," Ashley squeaked.

"I'll have that look again when I see you in it," Andros said, taking his head off her chest to look at her.

"You better," Ashley answered with a giggle. "I mean it."

He growled playfully and kissed her softly. He moved off her, and they got off the bed with light grunts. They pulled their bottoms up. He zipped and buttoned his jeans. He buckled his belt. She grabbed her shirt and slipped it on. She buttoned it as he got his t-shirt to put it on. She watched him go over to get his jacket. He put it on and went to her. He grabbed her hands.

"I'll see you this afternoon when I pick you up for the Christmas party," Andros said, emitting a soft snort.

"Okay," Ashley said, nodding. "I love you."

He smiled at her. "I love you too."

Andros and Ashley kissed while wrapping their arms around each other. They broke apart and let go of each other albeit reluctantly. He went to the door, opening it. He headed out of the room, closing it behind him. She sat down on the bed, letting out a happy sigh.

00000

Ashton and Anna were still sitting on the living room couch. They were now watching _The Terminator._ The scene where the Terminator was about to shoot Sarah dead played. Footsteps diverted their attention. They looked up to see Andros coming down the stairs. They noticed his messy hair. He reached the bottom.

"Got a little frisky with Ashley, didn't you, Andros?" Ashton teased.

"Yeah," Andros answered truthfully. He ran his fingers through his hair before running his hands over it. He managed to fix it some. "We couldn't resist."

"What couple couldn't, especially when they happen to be two young adults who are very much in love?" Anna asked, giggling in delight.

"It's good you don't live in an apartment. Having a sexual encounter would be tricky because you couldn't be too loud," Andros said, some nervousness showing in his voice.

"Our days of living in an apartment are long behind us," Ashton commented, crossing his arms. "We'll always live in a house, no matter what city we are in. We have no intention of leaving Angel Grove, though."

"Neither do my family and I," Andros admitted, running his hand over his face. "Anyway, thanks so much for letting me stay with you last night." He smiled happily. "You don't know how much that meant to me."

"Hey, it was a chance to let you get even more familiar with staying in our house. After you return home from the cabin, we'll be helping you move in," Anna answered, winking at him.

"I have little doubt it will be great living with you," Andros whispered, a soft sniffle leaving his mouth. "You've always made me feel welcome. Best of all, you don't mind me sleeping in the same room as your daughter one bit."

"Ashley deserves to have the father of her children near her. You're not married, but who cares? You love each other dearly," Ashton said, letting out a small yawn.

"That's what truly matters," Anna added.

"Mm-hmm," Andros agreed and rubbed his eyes. "Anyway, I'll see you this afternoon."

"You too," Anna answered, waving at him. "Don't let the monster under your bed eat you when you get home."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha. That was so funny that I died laughing," Andros retorted sarcastically.

"I would've died laughing big time," Ashton smirked.

Andros waved Ashton off, getting a laugh from him. He approached the front door and unlocked it. He opened it, locking it as he went outside. He closed it behind him. He headed to his car, getting inside. He started the engine. He pulled out of the driveway and drove off.


	66. Everywhere At Once

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. For those who have been reading "Ride the Wind," that crossover is near its end. After I complete it, I will focus on this fic for a long while. At some point, there will be a big time jump. I'm not going to say when it will happen until I get closer to time to reveal it. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-seven.

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Chapter 66: Everywhere At Once

An American robin sat near the bottom of a tree in the Johnson residence's backyard eight minutes later. It spread its wings and flew around to the front yard. It landed on the living room's windowsill. It looked inside and saw TJ and Karone playing _Primal Rage_ while they sat on the couch.

TJ and Karone showed determination. He was Armadon while she was Talon. They were in the third round tied at one win apiece. He delivered a horn jab, following by a tail whip to the face and a Spinning Death. He performed a Mega Charge as she managed to get up. He laughed in delight and wiggled his eyebrows.

"You're going down, Karone!" TJ exclaimed.

"I don't think so, Teej," Karone warned, shaking her head. She did a Brain Basher, followed by a Pounce-and-Flip. She delivered a series of fast jumping kicks until his health bar was completely depleted. She performed the Heart Wrencher. She laughed in delight as Talon ripped open Armandon's chest and ate his heart. "Yeah. Talon manages to beat Armadon yet again!"

He leaned over and turned off the game. "Nice job at having Talon defeat Armadon, Karone."

"Thanks. Talon is really cool. He may be the smallest character in the game, but he is mighty," Karone said and clawed at the air as if she were ripping into something. "His size allows him to miss most projectiles because they sail right over his head."

"He is the only tailed character who can't use his tail as a weapon," TJ pointed out. They placed the controllers on the coffee table.

She showed thoughtfulness. "If there is one thing that Talon can do the others can't, it's that he can run back and forth very fast."

"That's the perfect thing for confusing your opponent," he said.

"If he and the other characters were real and was called a shrimp by one of them, I bet he'd rip his or her face to pieces," she commented.

"I believe he would," TJ said honestly. "I find it interesting that Vertigo is the only female character in the game. She can perform long-range attacks on opponents."

"Well, she does have that long neck and tail that enable her to carry out those attacks, especially the Scorpion Sting," Karone pointed out.

"That move is quite damaging. So are her bites," TJ answered, cupping his chin in his hand. "I bet she'd use her venom to blind her prey if she were real." He cleared his throat.

"You're likely right," Karone said, holding up a finger.

"Hey, I'm always right," TJ said smugly and put his hands behind his head.

"Not always," Karone said, narrowing her eyes at him. "Don't get smug. It will bite you on the ass." She hoped Ricky and Diane didn't hear as she didn't want to be lectured on cursing.

TJ laughed sarcastically. "Sure, it will."

She punched him in the shoulder, and he retaliated with a punch to hers. They stuck their tongues out at each other. They pulled them back into their mouths before sharing a laugh.

"I'm going into the kitchen to get me a diet coke," Karone said, jerking her thumb in the direction of the kitchen. "Would you like me to get you one?"

"Not this time," TJ said with a shrug "Thanks, though."

Karone gave a thumbs-up. "Of course."

Karone stood up and went into the kitchen. She approached the refrigerator to open it. She grabbed a diet coke. She returned to the living room and seated herself in her spot. She looked at TJ as he put the Sega Genesis on top of the TV. He raced back to his seat to sit down. She opened her coke and took a long sip.

"Diet soda may not be the best thing in the world for us, but at least we can enjoy its good taste," she said, placing it on the coffee table.

"We still shouldn't drink it in excess. Some regular sodas pack as much as two hundred fifty calories and sixty-five grams of sugar in those twenty-ounce bottles," he mumbled, shuddering in disgust.

"What's crazy is some people guzzle those sodas down like they are candy. They don't gain any weight because they have a high metabolism. They think soda will never affect their health, but they are mistaken. It catches up to them eventually in the form of premature aging, diabetes, and even weight gain," Karone whispered in seriousness.

"I've seen young women with faint wrinkles on their faces from consuming so much soda," TJ responded, cringing somewhat. "It's likely they've been gobbling down junk food too as they were overweight."

"They might be fat due to no self-control, having medical conditions, or taking medication that causes weight gain," Karone pointed out. "If it's because of no self-control, then it's their own fault. They can deny they are overweight all they want. Their appearance will show them as such until they realize it and make a change."

"That's right," TJ agreed. "Why do I get this feeling that Ashley will lose any weight she gains within the first year of the twins' lives?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she did. She's always been very active. She hasn't been exercising much lately due to morning sickness, but she'll get back into it once that subsides by the twelfth week," Karone pointed out.

"I'm sure Andros enjoyed spending the night at Ashley's place. I honestly believe they did lots of making out," TJ said and made kissing sounds.

"It's likely they were sexually intimate too," Karone replied with a giggle. "It'll be fun hearing what position they had sex in once her stomach gets too big for them to do it the regular way."

"I hope you and Zhane will use protection when you decide to become sexually active. We don't want a repeat of what happened with Andros and Ashley," TJ warned sternly.

"Don't worry. We plan to use both birth control and condoms," Karone answered. "I admit I've always wanted to become an aunt, but I didn't think I would become one so young."

"Some aunts and uncles are just a few years older than their nephews and nieces," he pointed out.

"That is incredible," she whispered in much awe.

"Yes, it is," TJ said with a slow nod. "It'd be funny if an aunt or an uncle was a child and tried to tell his or her niece or nephew what to do." He laughed. "I'd be laughing my head off."

"I'd rolling on the floor with laughter," Karone said, sitting tall and proud. "Nephews and nieces won't listen to aunts and uncles who are so close in age to them."

"Hey, Karone. You are my niece. That means you have to do what I say," TJ growled in playfulness. He pointed his finger at the floor. "Now, drop and give me twenty."

"Unh-unh, Uncle TJ," Karone yelled while shaking her head. "You're too young to be in charge of me." She smirked.

"Aw! You ruined my fun!" TJ whined and began fake crying.

"Turn off the waterworks," Karone retorted and smirked. "You're not changing my mind." She gave a sharp nod.

"I'll make you change your mind someday," TJ replied, crossing his arms. "You'll see."

"Yeah, right," Karone replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

TJ ruffled his friend's hair, and she gave him a noogie. They looked toward the window to see Andros's car coming into the driveway. They turned to each other, their faces showing excitement.

"Karone, Andros is home!" he blurted out.

"Yeah!" she said and looked toward the stairs. "Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Andros is home!"

"We're coming, Karone!" Ricky called.

TJ and Karone stood up. They walked toward the front door while singing nonsense. They became silent once they got here. She unlocked it and opened it, showing annoyance at its squeaking hinges. They went into the door. Andros exited his car and made his way toward them. He gave TJ a high-five once he got to them.

"I'm glad to see you home, buddy," TJ greeted.

"I'm glad to see you, Teej," Andros responded and gave him a noogie. He turned to Karone after he stopped. "Hello, sis."

"Hey, bro," Karone responded lovingly. They hugged each other tightly. They pulled apart and looked at each other. "How was your overnight stay at Ashley's place?"

"It was wonderful," Andros said happily. "Ashley enjoyed her vanilla milkshake. Unfortunately, she did get sick in the middle of the night. I helped her by holding her hair back."

Karone expressed sympathy. "I'm sorry you had to put up with that, but don't worry. Ashley's morning sickness should subside by the twelfth week of her pregnancy."

"I hope so," Andros whispered in some uncertainty. "Then again, you never know, right?"

"Right," Karone agreed.

"By the way, her family let me have breakfast with them," Andros commented. "It was delicious."

"That explains why you are home later than we thought you'd be. I'm sure you and Ashley got a chance to get it on, didn't you?" TJ asked curiously.

"Yes, we did do it, Teej. In fact, we did it four times last night. We did it twice this morning. The second time was just before I left. The intimacy was even better than it had been before," Andros explained eagerly.

TJ smiled. "That's good to hear."

"We are really looking forward to being sexually intimate at the cabin," Andros said, rubbing his hands together. "I just hope no one interrupts us this time." He laughed nervously.

"If they do, then who the hell cares? You can always go back to the intimacy. That is if the mood wasn't killed," Karone mumbled, remembering all the times she and Zhane were interrupted from making out.

"Mm-hmm," Andros said honestly and walked inside. He stopped close to the kitchen doorway. He turned around to see TJ closing the door. "At least there were no slow drivers on my way back home."

Footsteps diverted the trio's attention. They looked up to see Ricky and Diane coming down the stairs. They walked up to Andros, who smiled at them. They gave him smiles of their own.

"I'm so glad you are home, Andros," Diane said and hugged him to which he responded in kind.

"I'm glad to be home, though I enjoyed staying overnight at Ashley's place, Mrs. Johnson," Andros replied. They let go of each other. They pulled back before gazing at Ricky. "You're looking good, Mr. Johnson."

"So are you, Andros," Ricky responded, winking at him. He noticed the boy's somewhat messed-up hair. "Let me guess. You and Ashley got frisky before you came home."

Andros tried to hold back a laugh, but he couldn't. "Yes, we did. I had breakfast at her house too."

"Nice," Ricky said in warmness.

Karone joined Andros's side. "If you want to know what we did last night and this morning, we just hung around."

"Karone and I finished a game of _Primal Rage_ before you arrived," TJ said and gestured toward Karone and himself.

"I beat TJ fair and square once again," Karone commented with proudness.

"Remember, Karone," TJ warned as he looked toward her. "Being smug will bite you on the butt." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Of course, TJ," Karone said, turning toward him. "I'm not stupid."

"Okay. That's enough, kids," Diane said, waving her hands in the air. "Let's head into the kitchen, so we can hear more about Andros's overnight stay at the Hammonds' place." The others voiced their agreement, making her smile. "Great."

"Let me go take my jacket upstairs," Andros said, taking off his jacket. "I'm not about to throw it on the furniture."

Andros raced upstairs while singing nonsense. He came back down three minutes later. He, TJ, Karone, Ricky, and Diane walked into the kitchen.


	67. On All Sides

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Here's my gift to you in the form chapter sixty-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. Tomorrow marks one year since I started on this fic. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, Ms. Catherine Willmon 2016, and katxox for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-eight.

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Chapter 67: On All Sides

At the Johnson residence in the late morning, TJ was watching Andros fold a gray long-sleeved while sitting on his bed in their room. Andros placed it in his roll-on suitcase, which was on his bed. He headed to the dresser and looked into the opened first drawer. He pulled out a blue t-shirt and returned to his suitcase to put it in.

"You might as well take all of your clothes with you to the cabin. There is a chance you and Ashley will rip some of them to shreds while getting it on," TJ joked.

"After we ruin all of our clothes, we'll come home in nothing but our underclothes. Then your parents will have to go out and buy me new ones. Her parents will have to do the same for her," Andros replied sarcastically.

"At least you and Ashley were comfortable seeing each other naked for the first time. In _Family Matters,_ Steve and Laura freaked out at seeing each other naked in 'The Naked and the Nerdy.' Their reactions were hilarious," TJ said, laughing.

"They were so embarrassed by the encounter that they couldn't speak to each other afterward," Andros said, cupping his chin in his hand. "Eddie admitted that he saw his parents having sex when he was younger. Steve and Laura reconciled when she gave him a nice comment about his body."

TJ snickered. "Something tells me Ashley's parents will walk in on you two making love in her room after you move in with them."

"If that happens, then we'll just accept it and move on, despite it would be embarrassing," Andros said confidently.

"There are more important things in life than being embarrassed by someone walking in on you and your significant other going at it," TJ said matter-of-factly. "Getting through high school is one of them."

"I admit that I am glad I'm moving into Ashley's house months before graduation. I don't think I could handle focusing on both at the same time," Andros mumbled with a nervous chuckle.

"The biggest advantage of being a high school senior is getting exempt from exams. If we're not exempt, then we take them earlier than other grades do. While they cram for their finals in May, we will be preparing for our graduation ceremony," TJ commented with much pride.

"Let's hope no one makes a fool of themselves as they go across the stage to receive their diploma," Andros whispered, shuddering badly.

"If they do, they won't receive it," TJ said seriously. "If they whine and complain, we'll just roll our eyes."

Andros gave him a thumbs-up. "Amen."

Andros headed back to the dresser and closed the first drawer. He opened the second one and grabbed five pairs of underwear and socks. He went to the suitcase to put them in. He closed it before zipping it shut.

"All I have to do is pack my toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush," Andros said, patting the suitcase three times.

"You packed rather fast. Some people take their sweet time packing," TJ grumbled and rolled his eyes.

"One of the worst things in the world is seeing people going deliberately slow. They do this, so other people will have to pick up the slack on their work," Andros hissed angrily. "Do you remember when Adelle told us she had to fire an employee only six weeks after she hired him because he worked deliberately slow?"

"Yes, I do. She said the other employees complained to her that they had to pick up the slack on his work. Even worse was he was a healthy middle-aged guy who was in perfect shape," TJ commented.

"You'd think older people would be more willing to work hard," Andros said, rubbing his nose. "It turns out many elders are just as spoiled, selfish, lazy, and entitled as the youngsters they complain about constantly."

"If an elder tells us we are lazy, spoiled, selfish, and entitled brats, we'll just politely tell them they are wrong," TJ whispered.

"You got that right," Andros agreed.

TJ watched his friend pick up his suitcase and set it on the floor. Andros sat down on his bed with a light grunt.

"You're leaving for the cabin tomorrow. After you come home, you will be working to move out," TJ commented sadly.

"I know, but at least I get to be seduced by Ashley in her nightie again," Andros said, chuckling suggestively.

TJ touched the top of his head. "I can't believe Ashley bought a nightie without her mom knowing." He snickered. "I never knew she had it in her to do that."

"She's a sneaky little vixen," Andros said, moving his eyebrows up and down. "She's my sneaky little vixen who happens to be the mother of my twins."

"She also looks as if she hasn't gain a pound at all," TJ pointed out.

Andros smiled lightly. "She may not feel like doing much exercising right now, but she will soon. I look forward to working out with her."

TJ crossed his arms. He leaned up against the headboard before crossing his left ankle over his right.

"Andros, there's something I want to tell you," TJ whispered, looking a little nervous.

"What is it?" Andros wondered.

"Well, it's a little complicated," TJ admitted and pressed his lips together.

"Oh, come on, Teej," Andros answered while shaking his head. "We've been friends for more than two years. We've been roommates for more than a year. You can tell me anything." He smiled.

"Okay. Here it goes," TJ said, taking a deep breath and sitting up straight. "The thing is—" He looked a little unsure about continuing.

"What do you want to tell me?" Andros asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The thing is I really like Cassie. I want to ask her out on a date," TJ admitted.

"Really?" Andros commented with a small chuckle.

"Yes," TJ said truthfully. "I'm just not sure how to do it. I'm concerned she might turn me down." He showed nervousness.

"Hey, I felt the same way when I asked Ashley out on a date for the first time. Her hanging around Zhane didn't help matters because I thought he was stealing her away from me. He managed to convince me they were only friends. I gathered my confidence and asked her out. She accepted it readily," Andros explained.

"No kidding," TJ agreed.

"Mm-hmm," Andros said with a sharp exhale. "Anyway, you should ask Cassie out if you really like her. You need to do it when you two are alone and away from anyone or anything that might interrupt you. Just be confident, and be yourself. That's all there is to it."

"You make it sound so simple, but it's not," TJ said, swallowing hard.

"Just give it your best shot. Even if Cassie turns you down, at least you know you tried," Andros replied comfortingly.

TJ sighed heavily. Though he was still concerned about being rejected, he was determined to ask Cassie out. After all, one date could be all it took to turn their relationship into something.

"I will ask Cassie out. Perhaps I'll get a chance to do that at the Christmas party," TJ said with much confidence.

Andros laughed cheerfully. "Great."

TJ gave his friend two thumbs-ups. He smiled widely when Andros did the same. They laid their hands in their laps and began talking about the upcoming Christmas Eve lunch.

00000

At the Hammond residence, Ashley put a folded long-sleeved red shirt into her suitcase that sat on her bed in room. She went to her dresser to look into the opened first drawer. She grabbed a blue sweater before slamming it shut. She returned to her suitcase. She placed the sweater inside.

She headed back to the dresser to open the second drawer. She grabbed five pairs of underwear and socks. She went to her suitcase, placing them inside. She closed it and zipped it shut. She smiled, as she was glad she was done packing. Knocking diverted her attention, and she looked at the door.

"Come in," she yelled.

The door opened with a loud squeak, and Ashton walked in. Ashley smiled as he closed it behind him. He approached her.

"Hey, Daddy," she greeted.

"Hey, honey," he said, putting his arm around her to give her a big hug. "You all packed up?"

Ashley nodded eagerly. "For sure. All I need to do is pack up my toothbrush, my toothpaste, and my hairbrush. I might take some barrettes with me too."

"That's my baby girl," Ashton said, ruffling her hair. "She's always thinking ahead. So is her handsome boyfriend."

"I can't help but wonder what Andros is taking with him to the cabin," Ashley commented, her eyes showing curiosity.

"We can always call him and find out," Ashton quipped, letting go of her and nudging her in the arm with his elbow.

"No, thanks," Ashley said with a shake of her head. "I don't want to interrupt him if he is packing." She snorted.

Ashton whined. "Aw! You ruined my fun! You're such a meanie."

"Stop whining, Dad. I'm not changing my mind," Ashley answered calmly yet firmly.

"I know," Ashton said and pinched her cheek. "I just love messing with you."

Ashley punched her father in the shoulder. He mimicked her with hers before flicking her chin twice. He went over to the bed and seated himself. She came to his side to sit down.

"You and Andros remind me of your mother and me when we were young," he admitted.

"Really?" she asked in amazement.

"Yep. We couldn't keep our hands off each other. We had sex—I mean, made love four to five times a week. Sometimes, we did it five times in one day. We used protection every time. She used birth control while I used condoms. The condom broke three times. We got scared she had become pregnant each time that happened, but she never did," Ashton explained, his voice filled with relief.

"That would've likely caused my grandparents to yell at you had you conceived me out of wedlock," Ashley whispered fearfully.

"Unfortunately," Ashton admitted. "All the talking they did about waiting until after marrying to engage in sex didn't stop us from doing it at all." He yawned. "We enjoyed every time we made love."

"You would have still loved me the same had you and Mom conceived me out of wedlock," Ashley said, laying her hand on her stomach.

"Oh, yes. Your grandparents always went on and on about how you needed a sibling to play with when you were little. They constantly begged Raylene to marry and have children. We told them every time all three of us were happy with our lives, but it didn't stop them. That is until after your mother and your aunt hit their forties," Ashton commented.

"I guess they realized Mom and Aunt Raylene's childbearing years were likely over," Ashley said thoughtfully.

"Yes," Ashton mumbled, sighing heavily. "Besides, just because a man and a woman can conceive children doesn't mean they should. Why should you keep your child when you know you won't be a good parent? That's where adoption comes into play."

"Just because birth parents are promised their children will go to good homes doesn't mean that will happen. Sometimes, children are adopted by horrible people who abuse and neglect them," Ashley muttered, fear lining her voice.

"That's why more birth parents are choosing open adoption. This allows them to choose the adoptive parents. They receive letters and pictures from them. They are allowed to see their children. In some cases, the adoptive parents give the children the choice to live with their birth parents when they are old enough to make their own decisions," Ashton said with calmness and firmness.

"Open adoption is nice, but it still wouldn't take away the fact that Andros and I wouldn't be the children's parents," Ashley whispered sadly while rubbing her stomach.

"I understand," Ashton responded sympathetically. "Your mother and I don't care whether you and Andros marry or not in the future. It will never affect your ability to parent your children."

Ashley took her hand off her stomach to rub it over her face. Ashton opened and closed his hands to flex his fingers.

"I'm going to head downstairs," Ashton said, standing up.

"Okay, Dad," Ashley responded in a gentle voice. "Just don't let monsters jump out of the walls."

He laughed. "Don't worry. I won't."

Ashley winked at her father. She observed him going out of the room. She listened to his departing footfalls. She stood up to head to the dresser and close the drawer. She went to her closet and opened it. She proceeded to search through her stuff.

00000

In the kitchen, Anna poured tea into a glass while standing next to the opened refrigerator. She stopped when it was nearly full. She put the pitcher back in the refrigerator before closing it with a loud slam. She took a long sip, nodding in approval. She made her way over to the bar to sit on the first stool. She placed her tea on the counter.

She folded her hands and laid them on the counter. She wished Andros was still here, but she understood he needed to get home. She was looking forward to the day he'd be moving in. She was determined to make sure he was as comfortable as possible. She had a feeling he'd be dealing with a bad mood swing from Ashley very soon. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps. She looked toward Ashton coming her way.

"Hey, Ashton," she greeted.

"Hey yourself, darling," he answered and seated himself in the second stool once he got to her. "I just came from Ashley's room. She's finished packing for the cabin with the exception of her stuff from the bathroom."

"That's good," Anna said, her voice showing relief. "What's crazy is some people wait until the very last minute to pack for trips. They throw their clothes into a suitcase as they are throwing them into a laundry basket. As a result, their packing looks sloppy." She huffed irritatingly.

"Some people learn they are to go a trip on short notice and have to pack quickly. They don't care if they are a little sloppy. They care about making the trip on time," Ashton pointed out.

"I understand that, but there is no excuse to wait until the last minute to pack for a trip when it was announced weeks in advance," Anna muttered angrily. "It's not fair to everyone else who prepared for it."

"Unfortunately, some people don't care. They don't want to be told what to do," Ashton hissed frustratingly. "It makes me want to scream in their face, but I know that's what they want."

"Don't worry about those idiots," Anna said bluntly. "Let them wait until the last minute to pack for their stuff." She sat up tall and proud. "We'll be ready while they struggle readying themselves."

"Yeah," Ashton said, giving a sharp nod. "Fuck them in their motherfucking asses."

"Don't use such foul language," she scolded playfully. "If I hear you talk like that, I will wash your mouth out with soap."

"Bring it on," he taunted, flicking her chin. "I really want to taste some Dove soap."

She ruffled his hair with a menacing growl. She laughed at him doing the same to hers. They tapped each other's noses with their fingers. They laid their hands in their laps.

"I feel fortunate that we will have the house to ourselves for four days," Anna whispered, taking her husband's hand into hers.

"So do I," Ashton agreed. "It's not real often we get several days by ourselves in a row."

She squeezed his hand gently. "Maybe we don't, but it is nice. Besides, we can have a little fun ourselves." She wiggled her eyes suggestively while snickering to herself.

He pulled his hand from his wife's grasp and pinched her nose. "You are such a naughty girl."

"I'd rather be a naughty girl than a goody two-shoes," Anna commented, a big smirk forming on her face. She giggled in great delight. "It's fun being naughty."

"It is until you end up on Santa's naughty list," Ashton pointed out seriously.

"Maybe that's true, but I'll be naughty for you," Anna said, poking him in the shoulder with her finger. "In the bedroom, that is."

"Now, I like the sound of that," Ashton said with a playful hiss.

Anna winked at him. "Great."

Ashton and Anna kissed softly before rubbing noses. They patted each other's cheeks with such gentleness that it seemed they weren't even doing that. They returned their hands to their laps.

"I'm glad we stood up for Ashley when our parents gave her that ultimatum. Not once did I think they'd do that to their only grandchild," she mumbled sadly.

"They are a product of the times they were raised in. If a teen girl got pregnant out of wedlock, she and the father had two choices. They either married or gave the baby up for adoption. If the father bailed out, the mother was sent to one of those unwed teen mothers' homes. Her parents didn't want the neighbors to know of the pregnancy. When she came home after giving up her baby, she was forced to act as if it never happened. She was forbidden to talk about it," he answered.

"Even if Andros and Ashley decided to surrender the twins for adoption, I could never make her act as if they didn't exist," Anna whispered, feeling tears form in her eyes.

"I couldn't do that either," Ashton admitted, his breathing turning to shudders. "It wouldn't have been right. Andros and Ashley conceived their children in an act of love. The only thing they are guilty of was not taking more precautions. Our grandchildren may not be here yet, but I already love them dearly." He choked back a sob.

Anna sniffed as the tears slid down her cheeks. "So do I. I am determined to be the best grandmother I can be."

Ashton pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "I am determined to be the best grandfather I can be."

"Just don't hog the twins," Anna warned, pointing her finger in his face. "I mean it."

"Yes, Mother," Ashton said, drawing a halo above his head with his finger.

The couple hugged tightly. They broke apart after ten seconds and hopped down from the stools. They made their way to the sink window. They watched two blue jays fly around in a playful chase.


	68. Having Patience and A Friend Arrives

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter sixty-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I can't say for sure, but Andros and Ashley's return to her aunt's cabin may be happening in the next few chapters. There will be plenty of smut between the two. Stay tuned for chapter sixty-nine.

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Chapter 68: Having Patience/A Friend Arrives

An American robin was sitting on the Morgan residence's roof in the early afternoon. It chirped a beautiful melody. The house was large and had three bedrooms and one-and-a-half bathrooms. A chain-link fence surrounded the backyard. A patio was in front of the back door and had a picnic table. Two orange horseshoe posts were in the middle of the backyard and far apart.

The robin grew quiet and spread its wings. It flew around to the front yard and landed on the living room's windowsill. It looked inside to see Kendrix shaking a small present while knelt before a big and fully decorated tree. The room was medium-sized with oak end tables, a pine coffee table, a couch, and two armchairs. The TV was across from the couch. A VCR sat on top of it. The walls were tan. The floor was covered in beige carpet.

She stopped shaking the present and set it down close to her. She looked over the others until she came to a large one. She picked it up and placed it to her ear. She took it away and began shaking it slowly. She upped the speed a little bit. She became still after ten seconds. She laid it down, showing disappointment.

"I wish I could tell what these presents were," she said, looking over the presents. Her eyes settled on a medium-sized one. "Maybe I can guess this one."

She picked up the present to place it close to her ear. She began shaking it. She heard two toy guns cocking, which caused her to stop.

"Put that present down, and stand up right now," a male voice ordered.

Kendrix laid the present down, showing some nervousness. She stood up slowly, taking great care to not making any sudden movements. She turned around once she was at her full height to face fifty-one-year-old Carl, who cocked the guns again and chewed gum.

Carl blew a small bubble in his gum. He popped it and used his tongue to get it back in his mouth. He resembled Kendrix, except he was taller than she was and had no hair on his head whatsoever. He was lean yet muscular, and his eyebrows were thin, almost invisible. He narrowed his eyes at his niece.

"Reach for the sky, girl!" Carl commanded. The young woman raised her hands above her head. She let out a nervous chuckle. "You broke the rule of no shaking the presents. I'm going to have to take you in."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Carl! I didn't want to break the rule, but I felt so tempted to do it!" Kendrix blurted out.

"Sure, you did," Carl retorted with a scoff. "You wanted to break the rule. You always do."

Kendrix faked a sob. "Okay. I admit I wanted to break the rule, but it's so much fun to shake presents in trying to find out what they are."

Carl blew a raspberry. "I don't give a damn if you think present-shaking is fun." He growled in fake irritation. "You're not supposed to shake any present! It's curtains for you! Turn around, and put your hands behind your back!"

She turned around, putting her hands behind her back. She bit her lip, her body trembling somewhat. He pointed his guns at her back. He put his fingers on the triggers. He laughed, pulling the guns back. He slipped them in their holsters. She faced her, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're impossible, Uncle Carl," she said and made cuckoo sounds.

"I'm glad I am impossible, darling," he responded and winked at her. "By the way, Leo should be here to pick you up and take you to the Christmas party very soon." He smiled.

Kendrix nodded at him. "I know. I hope he doesn't pull a toy gun on me and shoot my eye out."

"If he does, then I will shoot his eye out," Carl threatened playfully.

"Everyone told Ralphie he'd shoot his eye out with the Red Ryder BB gun he wanted so badly for Christmas in _A Christmas Story,_ " Kendrix commented with a warm laugh. "Not even Santa thought it was safe at all."

Carl rubbed his hands together. "When I was a kid, I imagined people I didn't like were dressed up as villains from my favorite movies."

"I did that a lot when I was younger. I still do sometimes," Kendrix admitted, running her tongue over her teeth. "My favorite is seeing Erica dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West."

"I hate to say it, but your sister's horrible personality makes her quite ugly," Carl said honestly. "It's more than likely she will lose all her outer beauty as she ages." He snorted in some anger. "Your parents spoiled her to no end. They thought she could do no wrong."

"Tell me about it. I remember the time she threw a huge temper tantrum because I was chosen to sit on Marty's back at the end of the aquarium's orca show when you took us there. You tried to make her stop, but it didn't work. Everyone stared at us. It was embarrassing. She complained about not being chosen to Mom and Dad. They yelled at me for not letting her take my place. They blamed me for her missing it. You tried to explain the trainers pointed at me and not her, but they didn't want to hear it," Kendrix mumbled, sniffling softly. "They actually grounded me to my room for a full day."

"Erica was ten years old when she threw that tantrum. She should've known better than to act like that. Unfortunately, your parents never taught her that behavior wasn't okay. You were eight at the time of that aquarium trip, but you were very mature. In fact, you are the most mature member of this family," Carl said, proudness showing on his face.

She smiled. "I do my best to be mature."

He winked at her again. "I know you do."

The duo headed over to the couch while snapping their fingers. They sat down with light grunts. He removed the holster and set it on the end table. They looked at each other.

"I'm so proud of you for standing up to Erica at the Surf Spot," Carl said, warmth echoing from his voice. "I was hoping you would never have to use the self-defense moves Leo taught you, but I'm glad they came in handy."

"The best part was that Erica didn't expect me to defend myself. My friends would've intervened if they felt I needed it," Kendrix answered.

"I wouldn't have shown any sympathy for Erica if I been there. I would've wanted you two to resolve your differences with words, but you had every right to defend yourself from her attack," Carl admitted.

"I was ready for her. I hope that punch to the face taught her a lesson in never underestimating your opponent," Kendrix said firmly.

"Yeah," Carl agreed, giving a sharp nod. "Unfortunately, it probably won't change her spoiled ways." He snorted. "She won't be able to function very well in the real world. It doesn't bow at people's feet."

"If there is one thing I am grateful for, it's my virginity still being intact. I am determined to save it for the man I love," Kendrix declared.

"I'm glad you will," Carl answered, running his hand over her ponytail. "Andros and Ashley conceived their children in an act of love. I do hope everything went well with the grandparents." He looked a little nervous.

"I do too," Kendrix whispered, scratching the back of her neck. "You're always told to hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

"That's what Bob Iverson said in _Night of the Twisters_ when Laura asked him if bad weather could be heading to Blainsworth," Carl said, giving a shrug.

"The scariest thing about tornadoes is they can pop up without any warning whatsoever," Kendrix said fearfully. "The 1990 Plainfield tornado was one of those. It was an F5 and killed twenty-nine people. The National Weather Service was heavily criticized for providing no warning of the approaching storm."

"It's no wonder the death toll was higher than most of those that occurred in tornadoes in the Doppler era were," Carl commented. "Of course, it could've been so much worse."

"Yes," Kendrix agreed. She and her uncle started talking about opening presents tomorrow morning.

00000

Kendrix laughed as Carl swept his hands underneath his armpits as if he were a chimpanzee while standing in front of the coffee table fifteen minutes later. He stopped and pretended to pick a stick up off the floor. He started screeching and acting as if he were hitting the coffee table. He became quiet and still. He scratched his head after pretending to put his stick down. He let out a quiet chitter. She applauded him.

"Great job at being a chimp, Uncle Carl," she said and chuckled lightly.

"Thanks," he said, standing tall and proud.

"If you were a real chimp, I bet you could break that coffee table in half by beating it with your fists," Kendrix commented.

Carl smiled widely. "I'll do that as long as you do it along with me."

Kendrix shook her head. "I don't think so."

"I do think so," Carl answered, nodding rapidly.

"I don't think so," Kendrix retorted, rising to her feet.

"I do think so," Carl said, going over to her.

"I don't think so," Kendrix growled playfully and crossed her arms.

He balled his hand into a fist. "I do think so."

He grabbed her in a headlock and gave her a noogie. She wiggled herself from his grasp. She tweaked his nose and pretended to pull his underwear over his head. He acted as if he were blind by moving his arms about. She smiled before pretending to put his underwear back in its place. He put his arms at his sides.

"It's fun seeing you act like you are blind," Kendrix said, squeaking cheerfully.

"Stanley told the gangster it was exactly two seconds before he honked his nose and pulled his underwear over his head before he actually did both in _The Mask._ If I found such a cool mask like the one he had, I'd love to cause some playful mischief around town," Carl admitted, pumping his fist.

"Then you could give that mask to me, so I could do the same," Kendrix said, a prideful expression crossing her face.

"I would once I got finished, which would probably be never!" Carl declared and laughed in delight.

"Then I would pull it off you!" Kendrix declared in an evil-sounding voice.

"I'd love to see you try," Carl said in smugness. "You wouldn't be able to catch me because I'd be too fast." He smirked.

"Wipe off that silly smirk. This is the army," Kendrix hissed in Haithi's voice.

"Nice imitation of Haithi's voice there," Carl said, taking her ponytail and tickling her cheek with it. He let go of it.

"I do love _The Jungle Book,_ " Kendrix whispered in sweetness. "What will be great is not wearing my glasses anymore once I get my contacts."

"You do look prettier without glasses," Carl admitted, flicking her chin. "I've been fortunate to not need glasses, but that will change in the future." He became sad. "I don't want that to happen, but it's a normal part of aging."

"I understand. After I get my contacts, I'm thinking of not putting my hair in ponytails and braids as much I used to. What do you think of that?" Kendrix wondered.

"You can do whatever you want with your hair," Carl answered, reaching behind her to twirl a strand of hair around his finger. "I don't care. I do admit you look great with your hair down."

"Thanks," Kendrix said, happiness radiating from her face. "If you had hair, then I could tell you how you looked with it."

"I don't mind not having any hair at all," Carl said, touching the top of his head. "In fact, it's cool when my bald head reflects light."

"Oh, no! I can't see! I can't see!" Kendrix cried and closed her eyes while moving her arms around.

Carl laughed warmly as his niece grew still and opened her eyes. The doorbell ringing diverted their attention. They looked toward the front door. He approached it and gazed through the peephole to see Leo. He unlocked the door and opened it. The young man smiled at him.

"Hey, Mr. Morgan," Leo greeted.

"Hey yourself, Leo," Carl said and looked at Kendrix, who came to his side. "Kendrix has been waiting patiently for you."

Kendrix chuckled. "I passed the time by chatting with Uncle Carl and goofing around with him a little bit. He tried to shoot me with his toy guns."

Carl gave her a smirk. "You wish I shot you with my toy guns."

"That's what you think," Kendrix retorted in playfulness as she turned to him. She formed a fist and pressed it to his nose. "I hope I didn't break your nose."

"You didn't," Carl responded with a shake of his head. "Anyway, you two better get going." He laughed. "The Christmas party will get started before you know it."

"Okay," Kendrix said excitedly and joined Leo's side. They saw Carl make eye contact with them.

"I'll have her back before dinnertime," Leo assured.

"That's fine with me," Carl said with a slow nod. "Have fun, kids. Don't shoot your eyes out."

Leo tried to hold back a snicker, but he couldn't help himself. "We won't."

Leo and Kendrix walked away from Carl toward his car, which was a green Mercedes and quite new. They got into the driver and passenger's sides respectively. They buckled up. He started the engine. They gazed toward Carl, who waved to them and closed the door. They turned to each other.

"Your uncle is such a funny man," Leo said truthfully.

"No denying that," Kendrix said while adjusting her seatbelt's shoulder strap. "He reminds me of Roger Rabbit from _Who Framed Roger Rabbit._ Roger had such a great sense of humor. In fact, he said you were better off dead if you didn't have one."

He shrugged. "That's not to say serious people should off themselves. There is a time for comedy and a time for seriousness."

She ran her fingers through her ponytail. "Erica has always been too serious. She thinks kidding around is a waste of time. I don't care. I like being funny."

"So do I. The rest of our friends, my brother, and his girlfriend do too," Leo added, a smile crossing his lips.

"Anyway, let's get to the Surf Spot before the party is over," Kendrix replied in a drill sergeant's voice.

"Yes, sir," Leo said, saluting her. "I mean, ma'am. I don't know what I was thinking." He laughed aloud.

"Who cares?" Kendrix said, waving him off. "I just want to go have some fun with the gang."

Leo cheered loudly. "Me too."

Leo pulled out of the driveway. Kendrix tuned on the radio in which Phil Collins's _You'll Be in My Heart_ began to play. He drove down the street. She began moving from side to side in her seat. He eyed her.

"Yeah. Dance your way out of the car, Kendrix," Leo encouraged.

"I'd have to undo my seatbelt and open the door to do that," Kendrix pointed out.

"That's true. I could teach you to dance. I'm actually a great dancer," Leo said with a warm smile.

"You really want to teach me to dance?" Kendrix wondered, becoming still and biting her lip.

"Sure," Leo answered eagerly. "Maybe I could get your uncle to learn to dance. That is if he has never done that."

"He has danced before, but he's not good at it," Kendrix admitted.

"I'll make a deal with you. If you let me teach you to dance, then I'll teach your uncle too," Leo said, holding out his hand as he looked ahead.

"It's a deal," Kendrix said, shaking it. She let go of it as he stopped at the end of the street and pushed his blinker bar down. The left blinker began to flash. "How about you come New Year's weekend? Uncle Carl has New Year's Eve off from work."

"That's perfect. Don't forget to tell him about this," Leo warned.

"I won't," Kendrix assured, winking at him.

Leo couldn't keep himself from chuckling. He looked both ways and turned left. He lifted the blinker bar. The left blinker stopped flashing. The duo started talking about the day after Christmas.


	69. Christmas Party Underway

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Here is chapter sixty-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. I've finished "Ride the Wind" and will focus on this fic for a long while before starting any others. This chapter has Jason/Emily and Mike/Maya. Stay tuned for chapter seventy.

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Chapter 69: Christmas Party Underway

The Surf Spot's Christmas party was in full swing in the midafternoon. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, Andros, and Ashley were handing candy canes and coloring books of Santa Claus and his reindeer to children as they walked in with their parents. Zack, Trini, Justin, Bulk, and Skull chatted while sitting at the table in front of the bar. Adelle directed a chorus singing _Jingle Bells_ in front of the tree. Kim, Kat, Aisha, Tanya, and Cassie were in the front. An audience was gathered around. The chorus finished the song's last verse. The audience clapped as TJ, Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Jason, and Emily approached.

"That was wonderful!" a middle-aged woman shouted.

"You really have the spirit of Christmas in you!" a young man called.

Adelle faced the audience. She and the chorus gave a respectful bow to it. Everyone went in different directions. Adelle, Kim, Kat, Aisha, Tanya, and Cassie walked toward TJ, Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Jason, and Emily.

"Nice job," TJ said approvingly.

"You girls have such pretty voices," Rocky commented, slipping his hands in his pockets.

"Thanks, Rocky," Aisha smiled.

"Maybe you should try singing," Kat suggested.

Rocky shook his head. "No, thanks. I don't think I could sing that well."

"Either that or you're just chicken," Adam snickered.

"Hey, you are a bigger chicken than I am!" Rocky retorted and gave him a mock-glare.

Adam growled playfully. "You better watch it, or I will put a foot up your butt!"

"It's a good thing you said butt, Adam," Tommy said, motioning toward children in different parts of the room. "There are children all over the place."

"I don't want parents come up to me and start ranting about how I shouldn't curse in front of children," Adam muttered in a little fear.

"It doesn't hurt to have a reminder," Rocky commented and smirked. "Then again, you're the one who curses the most in our group."

Adam elbowed Rocky in the arm, getting a raspberry from him. The others shared a laugh. Rocky shrugged and walked toward the arcade area. He snapped his fingers while singing nonsense.

"I swear, Rocky is the biggest joker in all of Angel Grove," Adelle said.

Aisha pulled her braids behind her neck. "That's the way he's always been, Adelle. Whatever you do, never pull his finger."

Jason turned to Emily and presented his finger. "Hey, why don't you pull my finger, Em?"

"No, thank you," Emily said, pushing it away from her. "The last time I did that, you let out the biggest fart." She waved her hand in front of her face. "You stunk up the whole living room of my house."

"Hey, at least you didn't faint," Jason responded, nudging her arm with his elbow.

"I'm not one for fainting," Emily said, shrugging.

"Kim has always been the queen of fainting," Tommy said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

Kim acted as if she were offended. "Hey!"

"Tommy is right, Kim," Adam said, snickering to himself. "You've always had a tendency to faint." He winked at her.

"Maybe I should drag the other ladies of our group down with me the next time I faint," Kim suggested, gazing at Kat, Aisha, Tanya, and Cassie.

"I don't think so," Aisha said, crossing her arms.

Tanya held up her hands. "You can count me out."

"Ditto," Cassie agreed.

"The same goes for me," Kat added bluntly.

"Eh. It was just a thought," Kim said and giggled softly.

The others tried to hold back laughs, but they couldn't help themselves. The group went its separate ways. Just then, Julie, Silvy, and Jerome walked in.

"Hi, Lt. Stone, Ms. Larson, and Silvy," Mike greeted.

"Just getting here?" Leo asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. Traffic was so bad that it took me almost two hours to get home from Wal-Mart. Jerome babysat Silvy. She was waiting anxiously for me when I got there," Julie muttered and touched her daughter's shoulder. "At least all my shopping is done."

"That's always a relief," Kendrix commented.

Ashley handed a candy cane and coloring books to Silvy. The little girl gazed at both items before looking up at her.

"Thanks, Ashley," Silvy said.

"You're welcome, Silvy," Ashley responded.

Silvy ripped open her candy cane and began sucking on it. She walked away as Julie shook her head.

"Silvy eats too much candy," Julie muttered with a small chuckle.

"She's tame compared to me, ma'am," Skull said as he, Skull, Zack, Trini, and Justin walked up to the group. "I was always eating candy. After having one too many stomachaches, I decided to stay away from it unless it was for a special occasion."

"I'm with you on that, Skull," Bulk said.

"Eating too much of anything can give you a stomachache," Jerome said truthfully. "Anyway, it's nice to see you guys."

"It's nice to see you too, Lt. Stone," Justin answered in a warm voice.

"I have to say you look great in civilian clothes," Zack said, clapping three times.

"Oh, yeah," Trini agreed.

"I do my best to look nice in civilian clothes," Jerome admitted swiftly. "Bulkmeir, Skullovich, are you ready to play Santa's elves?"

"You bet we are, sir!" Bulk said eagerly while standing tall and proud.

"Our costumes are in the trunk of my car," Skull said, laughing cheerfully.

"Great," Jerome commented, happiness radiating from his face. "Let me go say hi to everyone else before we go get dressed and surprise the kids."

"I'll go with you," Julie added.

Jerome and Julie made their way toward Adelle and greeted her. Adelle smiled at them and spoke inaudible words to them. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, Andros, Ashley, Zack, Trini, Bulk, and Skull looked at each other.

"I remember all the times Mom took Mike and me with her to do some Christmas shopping for Dad. He and I would sing _Jingle Bells Batman Smells._ Parents would confront her over it," Leo said, rolling his eyes. "They'd say it was wrong of her to let us mock a well-loved Christmas song, but she'd tell them we weren't doing any harm."

"That parody has been around since _Batman_ starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin came out in 1966," Mike said honestly.

"Mom and Dad allowed Erica to sing _Jingle Bells Batman Smells, Deck the Halls With Gasoline,_ and other Christmas song parodies, but they scolded me whenever I did the same," Kendrix mumbled in a little frustration. "The only time I could sing them was when I wasn't in their presence." She sniffled.

"What a bunch of spoilsports," Andros said in disgust.

"I bet Erica will call me a slut when I lose my virginity to the man I love," Kendrix answered, blowing a raspberry. "If she does, I'll tell her to go kiss a moving train." She smacked her lips.

"You can also tell her you'll put a foot up her butt," Leo suggested.

"Maybe I will," Kendrix said, her voice lined with determination. "I love _That 70s Show._ Red is so funny when he says he'll put a foot up someone's you-know-what when he becomes annoyed with them." She giggled.

"I wonder who came up with that joke," Leo said thoughtfully.

"Beats me," Mike said and looked down at the empty candy cane box. He turned to Leo. "Bro, would you mind getting some more candy canes?"

"Sure, Mike," Leo replied, giving a thumbs-up to his brother.

"I'll go with you," Kendrix said, rubbing her hands together.

Andros, Ashley, Mike, Maya, Bulk, Skull, Zack, Trini, and Justin watched Leo and Kendrix leave. Bulk, Skull, Zack, and Trini headed for Adelle, who stood by the pool table. Andros, Ashley, Mike, and Maya gazed at each other.

"I wonder how many more kids we will see come in today," Ashley said, scratching her head.

Andros shrugged. "Who knows?"

Maya pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "I don't care. I'm happy to hand candy canes and coloring books out to children in my first Christmas on Earth." She beamed with pride.

"I'm glad you are," Mike said, putting his arm around his girlfriend. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a candy cane. "In fact, why don't you have a candy cane?"

"You little sneak," Maya responded playfully and took it from him. "Then again, thanks for snatching this for me." She tapped it on his nose.

"You're welcome," Mike said, kissing her temple.

"You better have a candy for my baby girl too, Mike," a female voice said.

Andros, Ashley, Mike, and Maya looked at twenty-one-year-old Nina and five-year-old Maria standing in the doorway. Nina rubbed her nose. Being Hispanic, she was quite tanned. She was petite with a lean frame. Her long black hair was straight and happened to be in two braids, and her hazel eyes had freckles underneath them.

Maria had a big smile on her face. She was tall for her age, but she looked normal otherwise. She resembled her mother, but her skin was light like Donald's. Her long brown hair was straight and was in pigtails, and her green eyes had scars underneath them. A freckle could be found on the bottom of the palm of her right hand.

"Nina, it's great to see you!" Mike yelled delightfully. He hugged her, and she responded in kind. They pulled apart to look at each other.

"It's great to see you too, Mike," Nina answered, smiling in warmness. "Before you ask, my boss let me have the day off. I managed to finish all my Christmas shopping. I took Maria with me."

"I see," Mike said and looked down at Maria. He squatted down to her eye level. "How are you doing, cutie? You look like you've gotten a little bigger since the last time I saw you."

"Blame Mommy. She feeds me too many cupcakes," Maria said, her face beaming with happiness. "I'm getting a bike from Santa Claus tonight." She squealed.

"That's great," Mike said and rose to his full height. "I'd like you and Maria to meet Andros Parker, Ashley Hammond, and Maya. These are three people I've told you about."

Nina shook the hands of Andros, Ashley, and Maya, as did Maria. "It's nice to meet you guys."

Maya smiled. "The pleasure is all ours, Nina. Mike told me all about you two and Donald."

"Bulk and Skull told me about you three when I saw them on my third day of working at the Surf Spot. I'm sorry about your loss," Andros said sympathetically.

"As am I," Maya added.

"Thank you," Nina replied, sighing heavily. "It's hard taking care of my child alone, but I do have lots of help from her grandparents. Bulk and Skull see her every day. She calls them her uncles." She touched Maria's shoulder.

Andros felt his jaw drop. "Really? They never mentioned that."

Maria nodded rapidly. "It's true. I do call Bulk and Skull my uncles."

"You better call us that because we are right here!" a male voice yelled and laughed delightfully.

Maria looked toward Bulk, Skull, Leo, and Kendrix standing a short distance away. Leo and Kendrix held boxes of candy canes. Maria squealed in great delight and ran toward the former two.

"Uncle Bulk, Uncle Skull!" Maria yelled happily.

"Come here, slugger!" Skull said, squatting down and catching her. He stood up while hugging her tightly. She hugged him back. They pulled back to look at each other. "If you get any heavier, you're going to cause me to fall through the floor!"

Maria giggled. "It's Mommy's fault. She keeps feeding me cupcakes."

"That's what Maria said to Mike," Nina said, approaching the group. Skull set Maria down. He and Bulk gave her a big hug. They pulled back to look at her. "How are you two doing?"

"We're fine. What about you?" Nina wondered.

Bulk formed a big smile on his face. "We're fine too."

"In fact, why don't you have a candy cane, young lady?" Leo suggested, pulling a candy cane out of his box and giving it to Maria.

"Thank you," Maria said, winking at the young man.

Mike came to the little girl's side and presented a coloring book to her. "And here's a coloring book."

"Thank you," Maria said, taking it from him.

Nina gazed at Leo and Kendrix. "Leo, Kendrix, it's good to see you two."

"It's good to see you and Maria, Nina," Kendrix responded, her voice tinged with sweetness.

"Come with Bulk and me, Nina, Maria," Skull said, waving his hand toward himself.

"We want to introduce you to a couple of our friends," Bulk added.

"Okay," Nina answered, looking down at Maria, who turned to her. "Come on, darling. Let's go with Uncle Bulk and Uncle Skull."

Maria nodded at her mother and took her hand. They followed Bulk and Skull to TJ and Cassie. The group stopped before them. Bulk and Skull introduced TJ and Cassie to Nina and Maria. Andros, Ashley, Mike, Maya, Leo, and Kendrix couldn't help but smile.

"It's nice to see Nina and Maria meeting new people," Kendrix whispered, sighing contently.

"I'll say," Leo agreed.

"Come on, guys," Mike said in a drill sergeant's voice. "We've got candy canes and coloring books to hand out to kids."

"Okay!" the others called.

Andros, Ashley, Mike, Maya, Leo, and Kendrix returned to the entrance. Leo and Kendrix filled up the candy cane box. A father and his son walked in. Mike gave the son a candy cane and coloring book. The boy and his father entered as a mother and her daughter came up to the group.


	70. Teen Parenthood Talk and Big Surprise

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I added details about thyroid problems in pregnant women in chapter forty-seven and polycystic ovary syndrome in chapter sixty-four. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and TJ/Cassie. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-one.

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Chapter 70: Teen Parenthood Talk/Big Surprise

Andros, Ashley, Nina, TJ, and Cassie were sitting at the table in front of the bar thirty minutes later. The teens listened to the young mother speak about teen parenthood. They had water-filled glasses in front of them. Cassie picked hers up to take a long sip. She laid it down before biting her lip.

"No matter where I go with Maria, people stare at me with disapproving looks. Some even whisper I live off welfare," Nina muttered sadly.

"But you don't live off welfare. You work really hard to give Maria a good life," TJ replied.

Cassie held up her hand. "You have no intention of stopping that."

"I'm very proud of myself for providing for my daughter, but the judgement for becoming a mother so young will always be there," Nina commented, seriousness showing in her voice. She focused her attention on Andros and Ashley. "Since you two are having twins, that means double the judgement."

"The bullying has been bad, but it hasn't shaken our resolve to raise our twins," Andros answered calmly yet firmly.

"In fact, Andros is moving into my house after Christmas," Ashley added.

"My parents told Donald he could move in with us if he wanted to. He was flattered by their offer, but he politely turned them down. He didn't feel comfortable with it," Nina said, giving a shrug. "He was more than willing to get me a fast-food milkshake when I had a craving for one, though." She laughed to herself.

Andros put his arm around Ashley. "Ashley's had a couple of fast-food cravings herself. I had no problem with helping her satisfy them." He beamed with pride. "It hasn't happened in the middle of the night yet, but I know it will eventually."

"Donald had no problem with my middle-of-the-night cravings," Nina said, smiling at all the times she called her boyfriend in the middle of the night to get her something she was craving. "Anyway, the teen parent support group did a lot of good for us. We befriended many teen parents. The youngest parents in the group when we were part of it were Barry Hartson and Jana Jameson. They were fourteen years old and had fraternal twin sons, Darren and Jacob."

Ashley felt her eyes become as wide as saucers. "Whoa."

"I'm not kidding. They had help from their parents. His were Sam and Birdie. Hers were Yancy and Iris. Their fathers worked from home in medical billing and coding as part of the Kirkson Health Insurance Company. They took turns caring for the twins while their children went to school. Their mothers worked as lawyers at the Garrison Law Firm. Barry got a part-time job working as a cook at Pizza Hut after he turned fifteen," Nina explained.

"Did they ever graduate from high school?" Cassie wondered.

"Yes, they did, but they didn't graduate from Angel Grove High. Their families moved to Nashville the summer before their junior year. They attended Percy High School for the rest of their high school days. They actually graduated in the top twenty of their class," Nina answered.

TJ showed happiness. "That's great. Did they go to college?"

"No. They decided to get full-time jobs as cashiers at Costco instead. They broke up in their senior year, but they are still friends. They're co-parenting their sons. Their parents still help them," Nina said.

"Teen parents like us are very lucky. We have our parents to help us. Many don't," Ashley whispered, frowning.

"There are halfway houses with childcare to help those teen parents, but it isn't always enough," Nina pointed out.

Andros took Ashley's hand into his. He gave it such a gentle squeeze that it seemed he hadn't done that.

"Bulk and Skull told me you don't know when you will start dating again and were focused on raising your daughter," Andros said.

"That I am. Being a parent is more important than looking for a significant other. Moreover, I don't know how a potential boyfriend could react to the revelation that I'm a mother," Nina whispered worryingly.

"Perhaps the guy will reveal he loves kids and decide he wants to be a father to Maria," TJ suggested.

"People who demand their significant others give up their children in order to be with them are pieces of trash in my book," Cassie said, her voice lined with disgust.

"Some parents have no problem putting their needs before those of their children," Ashley added. "There is no way Andros and I are doing that to our children."

"That's not to say parents shouldn't have time to themselves," Andros said matter-of-factly.

"Of course not," Ashley said, turning to him and kissing his cheek. She felt him kiss her forehead. They gazed at Nina, who picked up her water and sipped it. The young woman put it down. "Do you think you will ever go to college?"

"I don't know," Nina admitted, licking her lips. "It'd be nice to go and get more educated." She shrugged. "I'll have to wait until Maria is a bit older, though."

"If you don't want to go, then you don't have to. Just because people don't go to college doesn't make them failures," Cassie commented.

"That you're right, Cassie," TJ said, nudging her arm with his elbow.

"You'll stop nudging my elbow if you know what's good for you," Cassie warned playfully as she eyed him.

"What will do you if I don't, take me to the door and throw me out?" TJ teased, pitching her cheek.

"Yes, I will," Cassie answered. She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away. She placed it in his lap. "I will do it again because you pinched my cheek."

"After that, I will come back in and throw you out," TJ said, pointing his finger at her. "In fact, why don't you pull my finger?"

"No, thank you," Cassie said with a shake of her head. "If I did, you'd let out the biggest fart and stink up the whole building." She snickered.

"Okay," TJ said, taking his finger away. "By the way, I wonder who came up with the pull-my-finger prank."

"Beats me," Cassie said, shrugging. She jumped in surprise when he hit her in the back of her head. She gave him a mock-glare. "I can't believe you did that!"

"Who cares? I got you good!" TJ blurted out joyfully. He gave two more hits to the same place. "I just did it two more times!"

"Then you will get this," Cassie responded and knocked on his head. "Hello, hello? Anybody home?"

"There is nobody here but Mr. Brain," TJ said in a deep voice. He laughed after she became still. "You should insert a bigger brain into my head."

"I will on one condition," Cassie commented.

"What's that?" TJ wondered, tilting his head a little bit.

"You have to insert a bigger brain in my head," Cassie answered, winking at him.

"It's a deal," TJ said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Cassie punched her friend in the shoulder. She laughed at him giving her a punch to hers. They knocked on each other's head while speaking gibberish. Nina leaned close to Andros and Ashley.

"Your friends are such goofballs," Nina whispered, trying to stifle a snicker.

Andros smiled. "You got that right."

"We heard that!" Cassie yelled as she and TJ ceased their knocking. The others looked at them.

"Hey, it's the truth. You might as well accept it," Ashley declared.

TJ blew a raspberry at the expectant mother. "Yeah, right."

Ashley pointed her finger at TJ and moved it in all directions. He followed it with his eyes and pretended to get dizzy. The others laughed as she put her hand on the table. Just then, Jerome walked in dressed as Santa Claus. He had a big red bag over his shoulder. Bulk and Skull were behind him in elf costumes.

"Ho, ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, kids!" Jerome announced.

"Santa! Santa!" the children cheered as they ran up to the trio, whom all stopped in front of the tree.

Jerome set his bag on the floor. He started handing toys to the children. Bulk and Skull helped him. Andros, Ashley, TJ, Cassie, and Nina stood up and went over there. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya came to assist. Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, Tanya, Zack, Trini, Kim, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, Justin, Adelle, and the parents gathered around.

00000

The children were gathered in front of the tree twelve minutes later. They admired their new toys. Silvy and Maria showed Adelle, Julie, and Nina their Barbies. Kim, Kat, Aisha, Cassie, and Kendrix helped five girls style the tails of their Grand Champions horses. Andros, Ashley, Tommy, Adam, Tanya, Jason, Emily, Zhane, Karone, Leo, Mike, Maya, TJ, Carlos, Zack, Trini, and Justin watched from a distance. So did Jerome, Bulk, and Skull. The lieutenant put his bag over his shoulder.

"I'm really sorry, kids, but Santa and his elves have to go," Jerome announced regretfully.

"Aw!" the children cried dejectedly.

"Don't worry. We'll be back next year," Bulk said.

"Merry Christmas, kids! Happy New Year!" Skull added.

Jerome, Bulk, and Skull left while the children waved. The crowd went their separate ways. The high schoolers, college students, and Adelle came together. Just then, a person in a Santa suit walked in and approached them.

"Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!" the Santa shouted.

The entire group stared at the Santa in great confusion. The only one not looking confused was Adelle.

"Oh, man. How weird can this party get?" Tommy wondered.

A second person dressed in a Santa suit walked in and joined the first. It happened to be shorter than that one was.

"Ho, ho, ho!" the second Santa yelled. "Merry Christmas!"

Aisha chuckled nervously. "Now, I'm really confused."

"What do you think of this situation?" Adam asked as he leaned toward Tanya.

Tanya became thoughtful. "I don't have the slightest clue, Adam, but something is up."

Adelle made her way toward the first Santa slowly and stopped next to it. Adam stared at her, furrowing his brow.

"Adelle, what's going on? Do you have something to do with all this?" Adam asked.

"Yes, I do, Adam. I will explain everything," Adelle answered and looked at the first Santa. "Santa number one, would you please reveal your identity?"

The first Santa removed its glasses, beard, and hat. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, Zack, Trini, and Kim felt their jaws drop. Their eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"Billy?" Jason mumbled.

"Hello, guys! Long time no see!" Billy laughed and dropped his stuff.

Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, Zack, Trini, and Kim went to Billy. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya watched Billy give them all hugs. Adelle looked very proud.

"I can't believe you're here, buddy!" Tommy shouted excitedly and high-fived Billy.

"You won't believe how much we missed you!" Jason yelled delightfully.

"I missed you too, Jason. Man, it's great to be back in Angel Grove," Billy said, a big smile forming on his face. "You won't believe all the things I saw while on the road."

"We can't wait to hear them," Ashley commented.

"I can't wait to tell you, Ashley," Billy said and smiled sweetly. "By the way, you are really glowing. Motherhood suits you."

"Thank you," Ashley answered, winking at him.

Billy got a pat on the shoulder from Jason. He began dating Cestria a month after deciding to stay on Aquitar in June 1996. They ended their relationship in October 1998. He returned to Earth in a spaceship provided to him by the Aquitarian Rangers. He decided to travel the country not long after his return. He left in December 1998.

Billy laughed when Jason ruffled his hair. He did the same to his before giving him a punch to his shoulder. Jason looked toward Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya. He motioned for them to come closer. His friends complied, and they put their hands behind their backs.

"Billy, I'd like you to meet Leo Corbett, Mike Corbett, Kendrix Morgan, and Maya," Jason introduced, gesturing to each person. "Leo and Mike are brothers. Maya is Mike's girlfriend from Mirinoi on a planet exchange. Guys, this is Billy Cranston."

"It's nice to meet you four," Billy said, nodding at the quartet.

"The pleasure is all ours, Billy," Kendrix answered.

Mike showed warmness. "We've heard so much about you."

Billy laughed quietly. "I have no doubt my friends would have plenty to say about me. Several of them have the biggest mouths."

Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya tried to hold back snickers, but they couldn't help themselves. Justin looked toward the other Santa, a confused expression forming on his face.

"Billy, if you were the first Santa, then who is the other Santa?" Justin wondered.

Billy gazed at Adelle. "Let's find out, shall we?"

Adelle winked at Billy and gave a thumbs-up to the Santa, who removed its glasses, beard, and hat. Ashley, Carlos, Justin, Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, Zack, Trini, Kim, Leo, Kendrix, and Mike gasped in great surprise.

"Ernie?" Emily blurted out.

"Yes, it's me, Emily!" Ernie yelled cheerfully and dropped his stuff on the floor. "I'm back!"

Ashley, Carlos, Justin, Tommy, Kat, Jason, Emily, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, Zack, Trini, Kim, Leo, Kendrix, and Mike went to Ernie. Andros, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, and Maya observed Ernie giving all of them hugs.

"It's so great to see you, Ernie," Kendrix cried.

"It's great to be back, Kendrix. I missed all of you guys so much," Ernie responded, sniffling softly. "Not a day went by that I didn't think of any of you."

"We thought of you every day, Ernie," Leo commented, laughing to himself. "We missed your smoothies, though Adelle makes great ones."

Ernie smiled warmly. He left to do volunteer work in South America in May 1997. The first task that he assisted in was a building a bridge for the Amazon. He assisted in many others. He received word from Jerome about his selling of the Youth Center and its remodeling into the Surf Spot. He didn't mind it the least bit.

Ernie couldn't hold back a chuckle when Tommy patted his shoulder. Tommy looked toward Andros, Zhane, Karone, TJ, Cassie, and Maya. He gestured for them to come closer. The group complied, and all of five of them placed their hands in front of them.

"Ernie, I'd like you to meet Andros Parker, Zhane Hardy, Karone Parker, TJ Johnson, Cassie Chan, and Maya," Tommy introduced, gesturing to each of his friends. "Guys, this is Ernie Forrester."

"It's great to meet all of you," Ernie said, nodding at the youngsters.

"You too, Ernie. Your friends have told us so much about you," Zhane answered with a small smile.

Kim became confused. "Ernie, Billy, it's fantastic you're home for Christmas, but how did this happen?"

"All the credit goes to Adelle. It was her idea that we surprise you guys," Billy answered with much warmth.

Trini gasped in shock. "No way."

"It's true, guys. Lt. Stone gave me Adelle's phone number, so I could contact her anytime," Ernie said.

"It all started when both Billy and Ernie called me to tell me they were coming home six days ago, but they didn't want me telling anyone. They kept in contact with me over the phone. I helped them plan their return home. I suggested they show up in Santa disguises and blow everyone away at the Christmas party," Adelle explained, looking quite proud.

"And they really did," Tommy laughed.

The others joined in on the laughter. They became quiet when two people stared at them.

"Telling someone would've spoiled the entire surprise. I know how big-mouthed young people can be," Adelle commented seriously.

"What a great surprise it was," Aisha said happily.

"This is the greatest Christmas gift we could have ever received, Adelle. The whole gang is together again," Tommy said, warmth echoing from his voice.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way, Tommy," Adelle whispered and squeaked softly.

Tommy shot a glance toward the entrance. He turned back to Billy and Ernie, crossing his arms and furrowing his brows.

"Billy, Ernie, guess who just walked in," Tommy commented.

Billy and Ernie turned to see Bulk and Skull chatting with Jerome as they walked in. They walked toward the former bullies and lieutenant, whom all stopped near the trashcan. They cleared their throats as they came to a halt. Bulk, Skull, and Jerome turned their heads. Their eyes grew wide in surprise, and their jaws dropped to the floor.

"Billy, Ernie?" Bulk babbled.

"What are you guys doing here? I thought Billy was traveling the country, and Ernie was volunteering in South America!" Skull stammered.

Ernie nodded. "That's true, but we've come home for Christmas! We're here to stay!"

"That's really wonderful!" Skull said, squealing with great glee. "We've really missed you!"

Billy whooped. "How about a high-five, big boys!"

Billy gave Bulk and Skull high-fives, as did Ernie. They formed fists and bumped them together.

"I'm glad you let your hair grow back, Bulk," Billy commented.

"I liked the buzzcut, but I missed my old look," Bulk replied while running his hand over his hair.

"Of course, my hair looks better," Skull smirked.

Bulk scoffed in mock annoyance. "It does not."

Skull punched Bulk in the shoulder, only to get a slap to the back of his head from him. Billy and Ernie turned to Jerome.

"It's good to see you, Jerome," Ernie said.

"Right back at you, Ernie," Jerome replied, winking at his friend. "Bulk and Skull have become very popular sea lion trainers. The public adores their comic acts."

Skull showed proudness. "It's so much fun having the sea lions do all sorts of behaviors, especially sit-ups."

"Not to mention the critters can be quite goofy themselves," Bulk added and made babbling noises.

Ernie gave the former bullies a warm look. "I'm really proud of you two. You've changed so much."

Ernie patted Bulk and Skull's shoulders, earning smiles from them. He slapped their cheeks very gently. Jerome and Billy shared a laugh as the others came toward the group.

"I should tell you all that I will be working with Adelle as her business partner. I begin working two days after Christmas," Ernie said, rubbing his hands together. "By the way, Andros, Adelle told me you and Ashley are going on vacation to her aunt's cabin. She also told me about the twins."

"I figured. Still, I believe I will enjoy working alongside you," Andros answered while scratching the back of his neck.

Ernie wiped sweat from his forehead. "I need to get out of this Santa suit. It's making me hot!"

"So is mine," Billy grumbled irritatingly while waving his hand in front of his face.

"We'll be back, guys," Ernie commented and ran his hand over his hair. "We'll catch up on old times." He smiled.

Tommy winked at Ernie. "You got it, man."

Billy and Ernie headed out the exit while singing nonsense. The others looked at each other, raising their eyebrows.

"It's good to see some people never change," Skull commented, clasping his hands together.

"You said it, Skull," Bulk agreed.

The others voiced their agreement and clapped three times. They walked in separate directions.


	71. Stepping Outside

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. Andros and Ashley's return to the cabin will be happening within the next few chapters. I can't wait to do that, especially the smutty scenes between them. This couple needs lots of intimacy and time alone after what happened with her grandparents. I won't say if she will make up with them or not. You'll have to find out that in a future chapter. I will admit it wasn't easy for me to have Ashley get angry with her grandparents because she always got along with them and respected their beliefs, though she didn't agree with them and didn't like them meddling in her family's affairs. However, I felt some conflict was needed in one of the families involved in her situation. It makes the whole thing more realistic. It wouldn't have been if all family members accepted it. After all, out-of-wedlock pregnancies were harshly frowned upon in the old days and still are in more ways than one. Anyway, this chapter has plenty of TJ/Cassie. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-two.

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Chapter 71: Stepping Outside

Cassie stepped outside the Surf Spot's back door in the early evening. She came onto the grass before stopping. She gazed up at the sky. The stars seemed to twinkle as if they were in a chorus line. She saw a northern mockingbird flying in the distance. Another one joined it. They chirped to each other, which made her smile. She inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly.

Cassie looked ahead. She was glad she had enjoyed her third Christmas party in Angel Grove. Moreover, she got to know Ernie. She wished the party was still going on, despite it ended more than an hour ago. Most everyone was gone, including Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, Julie, Silvy, Nina, and Maria.

Cassie moved from side to side. She did this for ten seconds before becoming still. The wind started to pick up, which caused her to shiver. She rubbed her arms for warmth, but it didn't help much. She felt someone put a jacket over her shoulders, and her shivering ceased somewhat. She looked at TJ and smiled sweetly.

"Thanks," she said.

"You're welcome," he replied.

The duo turned their attention toward the sky. They watched a great-horned owl fly overhead. Its hoots echoed on the wind. A cloud went toward the moon, going over its left side.

"I'm so glad the Christmas party went off without a hitch," TJ said, putting his hands behind his back.

"Who would've thought Adelle would give us such a big surprise in the form of Billy and Ernie's return?" Cassie answered and let out a long exhale. "Ernie is really nice, though. It's no wonder he was so popular with the youth of Angel Grove before Adelle came along."

He snorted to himself. "Adelle and Ernie will be working together in the next few days." He brought his hands in front of him. He crossed his arms. "Perhaps he'll have some great ideas for the Surf Spot."

"I'd love to see what he could come up with," Cassie replied eagerly and rubbed her hands together.

"I hope one involves hanging you from the ceiling, so the rest of us can play piñata," TJ joked.

She hissed as they faced each other. "You should be the one hung from the ceiling. You'd make a better piñata."

"No, you would," TJ said, poking her in the shoulder with his finger.

"No, you would," Cassie said, pointing her finger in his face.

"No, you would," TJ retorted, blowing a raspberry at her.

"No, you would," Cassie growled playfully while curling her hands into fists.

"No, you would," TJ responded, putting his hands on his sides and moving closer to her.

"No, you would," Cassie said, moving up to him.

TJ laughed. "No, you would."

Cassie made a funny face. "No, you would."

He ruffled her hair. He jumped when she smacked him in the back of his head in retaliation. He pointed his finger in her face and moved it in all directions. She followed it with her eyes and acted as if she were getting dizzy. He took it away.

"Imagine if fingers could shoot bullets. We'd have no need for actual guns," Cassie squeaked.

"Yes, but shooting bullets from fingers would still be dangerous," TJ answered sternly. "You'd have learn to use it safely."

"Everyone knows it's important to know how to use a gun safely," Cassie whispered in seriousness. "One little mistake can result in a terrible accident." She shuddered in fear.

"Kids should never touch guns if they find them. They should tell adults right away," TJ commented.

"Unfortunately, some kids think guns are neat-looking and are tempted to touch them. In fact, some toy guns look like the real thing," TJ muttered nervously.

"If kids are unsure if the guns they find are, they should leave them alone and tell adults," Cassie said.

"It's as simple as that," TJ responded.

She winked at him before patting his shoulder. She put his jacket on as they glanced toward the sky once more.

"The stars are so beautiful tonight," she said calmly.

"They may be, but they'll never be as beautiful as you are," he whispered gently as he looked toward her. She blushed as red as a cherry while glancing away. He started laughing and shook his head. "Cassie, you didn't have to blush."

Cassie giggled. "I can't help it. You say such flattering things about me."

TJ growled as if he were a bear. "Let's see how flattering this is!"

TJ tickled Cassie's neck. She shrieked and shook herself free from his grasp. She ran for her life. He gave chase, eventually catching up to her. He grabbed her by her sides. He tickled them. She broke free from him and pulled him into a headlock.

"You're no match for me, punk! Surrender!" Cassie hissed in an evil-sounding voice.

"You win! I surrender!" TJ yelled while holding up his hands.

"Good," Cassie replied and let go of him. She watched him rise to his full height.

"My gosh!" TJ muttered as he rubbed his neck. "You've been getting stronger!"

She smirked. "That's what happens when you work out four days a week."

He growled in fierceness. "Well, you're going to pay for ambushing me like that, little girl!"

He advanced on her menacingly. The smirk left her face. She backed away fearfully and turned to run, but he caught her and squeezed her sides. She wiggled herself out of his grasp. She pinched his cheek before moving her shoulders with a grimace.

"Let me get rid of that pesky pain for you," he suggested. He stepped behind her. He cracked his knuckles and started to massage her shoulders. She sighed in much relief as the pain vanished. She looked at him in the corner of her eye.

"You're really good at this, Teej. Who taught you?" she wondered and scratched her arm.

"My mom did. She worked part-time at a spa before she met my dad. She's always had a talent for relieving people's stress," TJ explained.

"We've been friends for two years, but I never knew your mother massaged people's sore muscles," Cassie muttered in amazement. "I feel like I miss too many things about people I know."

"Well, you can't know everything about someone. That's how life is. You learn something new every day," TJ pointed out.

"Still, it's cool," Cassie replied and smiled.

He winked at her and finished massaging her shoulders. He gave them three gentle pats. He scratched the back of his neck as she faced him.

"Cass, there's something I'd like to ask you," TJ said.

"What?" Cassie asked curiously.

He laughed nervously. "It's a little complicated."

"Oh, come on," Cassie commented. "It can't be that complicated. We're friends. You can tell me anything." She giggled.

"Okay," TJ said, taking a deep breath. "Cassie, would you…uh. I don't know how to say this, but would you—" He was unsure if he could go on.

She became a little impatient. "Come on, Teej. You can tell me."

TJ took slow yet even breaths. A confidence expression appeared on his face. He straightened his posture.

"Would you go out with me?" TJ blurted out.

Cassie felt her jaw drop. She thought TJ was joking, but she realized quickly that he wasn't. Suddenly, she turned away from him. He walked to the front of her.

"I understand if you don't want to, but I just wanted to ask," TJ whispered, his voice showing hints of sadness. "That's all."

"TJ, you're such a big goofball," Cassie said, rolling her eyes. Just then, she smiled. "I'd love to go out with you."

TJ laughed joyfully and hugged Cassie tightly. She responded by wrapping her arms around his waist. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before letting go of each other.

"Since we'll both be busy tomorrow, how about we spend the day after Christmas together?" she suggested.

"That sounds good," he agreed. "The day after Christmas is perfect for just about anything, especially returning unwanted gifts to the store."

"Hey, we are not going to the mall, so you can return unwanted gifts," Cassie warned, poking him in the chest with her finger.

"The same goes for you," TJ said, flicking her nose.

The duo shared a laugh. Cassie emitted a small yawn before smacking her lips. She rubbed her eyes while letting out a soft snort.

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for bed. All this excitement has gotten to me," Cassie whispered.

"I've got an idea. Why don't I walk you home?" TJ suggested.

Cassie squealed with joy. "I'd like that."

TJ winked at her. "Just let me tell the others."

TJ rushed inside the Surf Spot. Cassie pulled her hair behind her neck and straightened the sleeves on his jacket. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. He returned to her two minutes later. They went to the sidewalk. They headed left and scanned their surroundings.

"Have you decided what you will do after high school, Cassie?" TJ wondered.

"Yes, I have," Cassie admitted. "I've decided I'm going to go to college to see how it works out. If it doesn't, then I will pursue a music career." She smiled.

"That's a good plan," TJ said while nodding in a slow manner. "Have you chosen a major?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Not yet. There is plenty of time to think about that," Cassie answered in a sweet voice.

"Right now, I want to think about our upcoming date," TJ said and whooped while pumping a fist. "I can't wait for it."

"Me neither. How about we play on the beach in the morning and go to Arby's for lunch? Then we can attend the Angel Grove Aquarium for the afternoon," Cassie suggested.

"I like all three ideas," TJ said in eagerness. "I hope we see some dolphins leaping in the surf."

"Me too. I bet I'll see them first," Cassie said, giggling to herself.

"I believe I will see them first," TJ said smugly and turned his nose upward.

"Don't hold that nose so high," Cassie warned in playfulness. "You'll drown if it rains." She made a funny noise.

"Don't worry," TJ said, looking ahead. "I won't. Besides, I'd rather be humble than snobbish."

"I do too, Teej. I do too," Cassie agreed.

TJ slipped an arm around Cassie, pulling her close to him. She settled into his embrace and sighed contently. They continued on their walk.


	72. Ready to Leave

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. Smutty Andros/Ashley scenes will likely begin in the next chapter or two. It will be so much fun to write them again. I'm sure people who have been reading this fic are ready to see them. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-three.

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Chapter 72: Ready to Leave

The midmorning sun beamed its rays on the Johnson residence the next day. Andros was watching _The Empire Strikes Back_ while sitting on the living room couch. He crossed his right ankle over his left. The scene where Han and Leia kissed for the first time came on. His suitcase was next to the front door. The tree didn't have presents around it anymore.

Andros sighed contently. He thought about the presents he got from his family, especially the newborn clothes he got from Ricky and Diane. He was surprised he got them so early. The couple told him that they wanted him and Ashley to get a head start on getting baby items. He felt very grateful to them.

His thoughts shifted to Ashley. He couldn't wait for her to get here. He was surprised to hear she had also gotten newborn clothes from Ashton and Anna when she called to tell him she would be picking him up soon twenty minutes ago. He was grateful they were helping with getting him and his girlfriend an early start on receiving baby items as well.

He looked toward the window to see a blue jay sitting on the windowsill. It flapped its wings to air them out. It looked toward him. It seemed to stare him right in the eye. Footsteps caught his attention. He looked up to see TJ and Karone coming down the stairs. He smiled as they made their way toward the couch.

"Hey, guys," Andros greeted.

"Hey yourself, Andros," TJ said as he and Karone reached the couch. They seated themselves beside him. "What's up?"

"I'm just watching Han and Leia share their first smooch," Andros answered, looking toward the TV along with his friend and sister. "It's a lot better than her kissing Luke is. Don't you think?"

TJ furrowed his brow. "Yep."

"Luke must have felt awkward when he learned he kissed his own sister," Karone said, laughing aloud.

Andros joined in on the laughter. "I honestly believe he was, but how was he supposed to know? He and Leia didn't spend any time together after they were born."

"The interesting thing is Leia always knew that Luke was her brother somehow, though she was shocked by his revelation they were twins and the offspring of Darth Vader," Karone pointed out.

"It is well known that the Force-sensitive can resist mind probes," TJ said thoughtfully. "When Leia showed resistance to the mind probe in _A New Hope,_ I started to suspect she was Force-sensitive."

"What I don't understand is the concept of midi-chlorians determining the strength of Force sensitivity being added to _The Phantom Menace._ The Force is supposed to be something mysterious," Karone muttered.

"That movie _is_ the first installment of the Star Wars saga in actual order. George Lucas hadn't worked out all the kinks when he created the original trilogy. Once technology had caught up, he was ready to create the prequel trilogy. It's likely the idea just popped into his head," TJ commented.

Karone held up a finger. "I believe you're right, Teej. The guy was a genius when he created the original trilogy. The first prequel wasn't the best movie in the world, but it was far from the worst."

"I didn't like Jar Jar Binks. He tried too hard to be funny, though he was cute," Andros said, clearing his throat.

"He did look cute. So did the rest of the Gungans. The battle on Naboo's open plains was a smart plan. It distracted the Trade Federation's army long enough to allow a strike force to rescue Queen Amidala's royal guard," TJ said, folding his hands and laying them in his lap.

"I couldn't believe young Anakin managed to take out the droid control ship. I didn't think he could fly that spaceship, despite he was a talented pilot at just nine years old," Karone whispered, her face showing much amazement.

"Well, the middle-aged Obi-Wan did say Anakin was already a great pilot when he first knew him," Andros said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but he never said Anakin blew up a droid control ship at nine years old," TJ said seriously. "Actually, he didn't blow it up. He crashed through the reactor, which started a chain reaction." He shrugged.

"That's true. It doesn't matter now. What matters is seeing what led to the Clone Wars," Karone said.

Andros gave a sharp nod. "Yep."

Andros, TJ, and Karone turned toward the TV. Andros uncrossed his ankles. He leaned forward somewhat, folding his hands to lay them on his lap. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm going to miss everyone here," Andros whispered in a somewhat sad voice. "I'd like to be here, but Ashley and I need time away from everything."

"We'll miss you too, bro," Karone said comfortingly.

"I had no idea my parents had bought baby clothes for you and Ashley, man. They never spoke a word of getting any," TJ exclaimed.

"Maybe they didn't, Teej, but it was very nice of them to do that," Karone commented. "Baby clothes aren't that high, but the expenses do add up over time. It doesn't matter if the clothes are generic or a brand name."

"Who cares? All the clothes looked very nice. What's even better is Mr. and Mrs. Johnson got them for both boys and girls. If Ashley and I have twins of the same sex, we'll use the clothes for it and pack away the others for the future," Andros explained.

"That's a brilliant idea. You don't want to have to pull out something meant for a girl if you have boys and vice versa, do you?" TJ quipped.

"You better watch it, Teej," Andros warned playfully. "If you don't, I'll put my foot up your butt."

"After you do that, I'll put mine up yours," TJ retorted, growling as if he were a bear.

"You can add mine to that," Karone added, smirking.

"Hey!" Andros yelled, pretending to look offended.

"I might as well do it. You can be such a pain in the butt," Karone said delightfully.

"And you can be just as much of a pain in the butt as me," Andros pointed out and blew a raspberry at her. "So can everyone else in our circle of friends."

"Just don't tick Ashley off during her pregnancy, or she will go off on you. Not even Mr. Kaplan is safe," TJ pointed out.

"It'd be wild to see him run away in fear if Ashley was having a bad mood swing just before school began," Andros commented, wiggling his eyebrows.

"He'd probably pee his pants too," Karone said, laughing to herself.

"No principal wants a stain on his pants," TJ said, running his hand over the top of his head. "I'm sure Mr. Kaplan has a spare suit he can wear if that were to happen." He shrugged.

"One thing is for sure. We should do everything in our power not to tick Ashley off during her pregnancy. Even then, it may not be enough," Andros said truthfully.

"Eh. You can't win all battles," Karone said, shrugging.

TJ ruffled the young woman's hair. He laughed when she grabbed his head and pulled it down somewhat. She began rubbing it.

"Oh, magic bald spot, what is my future?" Karone asked in a high voice.

"I'm sorry, but your future looks rather smelly," TJ joked in a deep voice. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away. He looked her right in the eye. "It's filled with dirty diapers coming from Andros and Ashley's twins."

"Hey, I don't mind changing diapers at all," Karone admitted.

"Good. You'll get experience because you just might have to deal with changing your own baby's dirty diapers someday," Andros said seriously.

Karone tapped her foot three times. "Most likely. Of course, I want Zhane and me to be financially ready before we consider having a baby."

"That's very important," TJ said matter-of-factly.

"I don't understand why couples who plan for children can't have them, but couples who aren't prepared for them at all have no problem conceiving," Karone muttered in frustration.

Andros expressed disgust. "I know, Karone. Ashley and I may not have planned our children, but at least our families are far from poor and helping us. I may not have a glamorous job, but it's allowing us to save money for them."

"I admire you so much, Andros. You were honest when you told Ashley you'd be there for her during her pregnancy. After you two learned you were having twins, you showed even more determination to be there for her," TJ said proudly. He became serious. "Many fathers don't have a part in their children's lives, but it's not always their fault. Some are kept away from them by mothers who want to get back at them for leaving their relationships. A few are even forbidden by their own parents from having contact with their children, especially if they are teenagers." An angry expression crossed his face.

"It's sick that parents would forbid their sons from having contact with their own children," Karone yelled shockingly.

"It does, but some parents have great control over their children, especially when it comes to mothers with their sons. The children feel powerless to stand up to them. One of the traits of the narcissistic personality is having total control over everything. Everything has to go the narcissist's way. Perfection is necessary. Nothing can be out of place, not even a hair on a person's head. Narcissistic parents will choose one child to be the golden one and another to be the scapegoat," TJ said, moving his hand from side to side.

"I can safely say that Kendrix's parents were narcissists. Erica was their golden child while Kendrix was their scapegoat," Andros muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Erica seems to be a full-blown narcissist."

TJ cringed badly. "Kendrix may not have to deal with her parents anymore, but she still has to deal with her sister. The bright side is it isn't on a regular basis."

"If anything, Kendrix should've given Erica two black eyes. Erica wouldn't have looked attractive for a while. Then again, her ugly personality already makes her unattractive," Karone growled bluntly.

"Amen!" Andros and TJ yelled.

Karone gave a thumbs-up to the young men, whom both responded in kind. She gave them two winks. They laid their hands in their laps. Andros chuckled in happiness.

"I'm so glad you were able to ask Cassie out, Teej," Andros said, sighing in content. "Your planned day sounds like a lot of fun."

"It should be. I plan to call you at the cabin and tell you all about it," TJ said eagerly. "How about six o'clock? You two should be preparing dinner by then."

"That sounds like a good time," Andros said, winking at him.

TJ gave his friend two winks. Just then, the doorbell rang, causing the trio to look toward it. Andros rose to his feet and approached the front door. TJ and Karone stood up and went toward him. They stopped a short distance away from him. Andros looked through the peephole to see Ashley. He unlocked the door and opened it, receiving a smile from her. Ricky and Diane came down the stairs. They reached the bottom.

"Hi, Andros," Ashley greeted.

"Hi yourself, Ash," Andros replied warmly. Ricky and Diane joined his side. "It's about time you got here."

"Did a monster appear in the street while you were on your way to the house?" Ricky joked.

"Yeah, and I rammed him into oblivion," Ashley said, laughing in glee.

"Good. We don't want no monsters stinking up the neighborhood," Diane growled playfully as Andros gazed at her.

"Don't use double negatives. It's a big insult to the English language," Andros hissed in mock annoyance.

"Not as big as using ain't. Oops. I said it!" Ricky blurted out sarcastically.

"No kidding," TJ said as he and Karone came up behind his parents.

"Well, you two better be on your way now," Diane said, smiling lightly. "We'll miss you two."

"We'll see you Wednesday," Andros said. He grabbed his suitcase as Ashley walked toward her van. He headed out the door. He pulled the suitcase behind him. They peered over their shoulders at the family. They saw Ricky, Diane, TJ, and Karone step into the doorway. "Don't burn the house down while I'm gone!"

"We won't, buddy!" TJ called. "Bye!"

Andros and Ashley looked ahead. He headed to the back of the van as she reached the driver's side and got in. He opened the unlatched door. He picked up his suitcase to place it beside hers. He closed the door with a hard slam. He went to the passenger's side to get in. They buckled up. She started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. She drove down the street. They looked toward the family to give them waves. They saw them wave back. They shifted their attention toward the street.

"I can't wait until we are finally at the cabin," Andros said very excitedly.

"I can't wait until I seduce you in that nightie," Ashley responded in huskiness. "Don't worry. My parents still don't know about it." She giggled. "I kept it hidden underneath my socks and underwear."

He smirked. "That's the perfect place to hide stuff you don't want your parents to see. The closet is a great place too."

She snorted as she stopped at an intersection. "Of course, they find your secret stuff eventually." She pushed the blinker down. The left blinker started flashing. "They are usually shocked you hid stuff from them, but they come around."

"Just don't think of hiding an elephant in your closet," Andros quipped, a snicker leaving his mouth.

"Duly noted," Ashley answered. She looked both ways and turned left, the blinker's flashing stopping. "Just don't hide a whale in yours."

Andros gave her a thumbs-up. "I won't."

Ashley moved her hands to the top of the steering wheel. She increased her speed somewhat as a girl rode her bike behind her.


	73. On the Road Again

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. I decided to change Billy and Ernie's telling Adelle that they were coming home to Angel Grove six days before Christmas Eve. I felt it was better for that. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-four.

XXXXX

Chapter 73: On the Road Again

Clouds covered half the late morning sky above the forest highway in the mountains north of Angel Grove. A mule deer pulled a mouthful of leaves off a bush. It chewed them slowly but surely. It swallowed them before licking its lips. It was about to reach for more when the sound of a vehicle approaching caught its attention. It watched Ashley's van pass it. It turned back to the bush and grabbed more leaves to eat.

Ashley moved her hands to the sides of the steering wheel. She mouthed the lyrics to Phil Collins's _You'll Be in My Heart_ as it played on the radio. She looked toward a sleeping Andros, who had his head on his tiger. The tiger was leaned against the door. She smiled at the sight. She never got tired of seeing this peaceful side of her boyfriend. She hoped to take pictures of him sleeping on his back with either of their children laying on his chest.

She turned back to the road. She saw a bump come into view and tried to drive around it, but she ended up hitting it. This jerked him awake, and the tiger fell into his lap. He rubbed his eyes before yawning. He stretched his arms above his head. He scratched his neck and gazed at his girlfriend, who showed a bit of guilt.

"I'm sorry I woke you up," Ashley apologized. "I couldn't avoid that bump." She shifted her attention to the road.

"It's okay," Andros answered in sympathy. "I'd rather be woken up by a vehicle hitting a bump in the road than music blaring from a radio." He became disgusted. "Noise pollution can be quite damaging to the ears of wild animals."

"That is especially true for whales, dolphins, and porpoises. In fact, manmade sonar has been responsible for some mass strandings," Ashley commented seriously.

He sighed frustratingly. "All that underwater noise is torture for them and other animals."

"It's disgusting," she grumbled in anger. "People are trying to get Navy sonar restricted in critical habitats, but it is rather difficult."

"If only anti-aquarium extremists understood that," he said and hissed to himself. "They really think standing on sidewalks and holding signs that say 'Free the dolphins,' 'Don't buy a ticket,' and 'Let the animals go' helps wildlife in peril. It doesn't do anything, except make them look like fools."

She swallowed hard. "You said it. Maybe we should roll down our windows and tell them to protest the use of sonar in critical habitats if they truly care about animals the next time we visit the city aquarium."

"I'd love to do that, but it probably wouldn't do any good. That would require the protesters to get their hands dirty. They don't want to do that," Andros explained.

"It's their loss," Ashley said, blowing a raspberry. "I'd protest the use of sonar in critical habitats in a heartbeat."

"So would I," Andros agreed.

She looked at him and touched his cheek. He took hold of her wrist and turned his head to kiss her palm. She pulled it away to lay it on the wheel. She looked toward the road. He brought the tiger in front of him to gaze at it. He flicked each of its ears and played with its whiskers. She peered at him in the corner of her eye.

"You can't get enough of that tiger, can you?" Ashley asked.

"Nope," Andros answered and laid it in his lap. "I never will, not even if I live a thousand years." He petted its back.

"The only way you could live a thousand years is if someone casted a spell on you," Ashley said and focused her attention on the road.

"Maybe I should take a trip to the Temple of Ninja Power and see if Ninjor can cast such a spell on me," Andros quipped.

"I'll go with you," Ashley commented. "After all, you shouldn't be alone living a thousand years."

"We should do it after our children are born," Andros said, laughing delightfully. "A spell would likely help you heal faster."

"Most likely. It could also make my pregnancy progress faster," Ashley said with a snicker. "Many pregnant women wish they could make their pregnancies go faster. They don't like all the complications that come with them."

He patted the tiger's back with both hands. "What pregnant woman doesn't? The men suffer just as much, especially when they have to get something their women are craving in the middle of the night."

She shrugged. "I'd give anything to control my cravings, but I can't."

"Look on the bright side. You won't have to worry about calling me in the middle of the night just because you are craving something anymore," he said comfortingly. "You can just shake me awake."

"Yep. Just don't snore when you sleep in my bed," she warned playfully.

Andros laughed sarcastically. "That was so funny that I died laughing."

Ashley waved Andros off. She spotted a pothole in the road and attempted to drive around it. Unfortunately, she hit it. They sank down in their seats somewhat. She showed a bit of guilt.

"I'm sorry for hitting that pothole and causing us to sink down in our seats," Ashley apologized seriously. She straightened the van with a turn of the wheel. "I wasn't able to avoid it."

"It's okay. If the seats were really soft, we could've sunk down into them!" Andros blurted out. He sunk down, holding his arms up. She gazed at him. He straightened his posture before laying his hands in his lap. "I'm back."

"Nice sinking down into the seat," Ashley said and looked ahead. "I wish I could do that, but I have to drive." She frowned.

"Hey, we can always sink down into those blankets and the beds at the cabin," Andros said, smiling widely. "You can go first."

"I think you should go first," Ashley responded.

"I will if you throw me out the door first," Andros said, sticking his tongue out at her.

Ashley looked toward him, giving him a mock angry look. "You better put that tongue back into your mouth if you know what's good for you."

Andros pulled his tongue back into his mouth and showed grumpiness. "You're so mean!" He began fake crying.

"Turn off the waterworks. It won't make me feel guilty," Ashley said, focusing her attention ahead. She felt him smack her in the back of her head. She punched him in the side. He grabbed it and acted as if he were in pain. A mock sympathetic expression crossed her face after she peered at him in the corner of her eye. "Aw. Did I hurt the little baby?"

"Yes, you did," he answered. He looked about ready to cry. "In fact, I think you busted a rib."

"Well, let me make it feel better," she said. She kissed her hand and patted his side after he removed his. He sighed in relief.

"Thanks. That makes my side feel much better," Andros commented.

"You're welcome," Ashley said, clearing her throat as she gazed ahead.

"How about you could give me a kiss on my cheek?" Andros asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Okay," Ashley said, her voice showing much warmth.

"Come on!" Andros yelled, waving his hand toward himself. "Get your ass over here before I grow old!"

She chuckled. "All right hold your horses! We're not in any hurry for cheek kisses."

He smirked. "Hey, I just like rushing you."

Ashley looked at Andros. She leaned over to give him a kiss on his cheek. She patted it very lightly before settling back in her seat. He glanced toward the trees. He watched them go by. The final notes of the song played. Whitney Houston's _Run To You_ came on.

"Watching trees go by while on the road never gets old," Andros whispered and laid his arm on the door.

"Nope," Ashley agreed. "Some trees are very famous. The Pioneer Cabin Tree is one of them. It's a giant sequoia located in Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Its huge tunnel has made it a very popular tourist attraction. It got its name from its distinctively hollow trunk that was partially burnt by lightning strikes and forest fire. It had small compartments as in a log cabin, the tree's burnt core as a chimney and a small opening as a backdoor. It's estimated to be one thousand years old and is thirty-three feet in diameter."

"That's unbelievable," Andros exclaimed and gazed at her. He wrinkled his nose. "Imagine if someone tried to live in that tree because it had those compartments."

"It would've been difficult for them to do that," Ashley said truthfully. "Let's not forget that pioneers were known to be very resilient."

"Of course," Andros said, his voice showing seriousness. "They also had a lot more common sense than people do these days."

"Many people have common sense, but they throw it out the window when they are dared to do something dangerous," Ashley muttered while shaking her head. "They want to prove how tough they are."

"That's not being tough. That's being stupid," Andros hissed in frustration. "We might have performed tricks on our Galaxy Gliders for fun, but we never dared each other to do anything really stupid."

"Being Power Rangers meant we had to have more common sense than most people. We also had to rely on instinct a lot," Ashley said, taking a deep breath. She spotted a bump in the road. She drove around it, narrowly avoiding it. She got the van straight. "Both of them helped us to avoid dangerous traps."

Andros sighed. "When we met the Ninja Turtles, my instinct told me not to trust them. It proved correct when they sabotaged the Megaship."

"I thought you were being paranoid until the Megaship turned around and began leaving Earth's orbit," Ashley said sheepishly. "I felt so foolish."

"It's understandable. You don't want to believe the worst of someone," Andros pointed out.

"It turned out that the Ninja Turtles were under Astronema's control. They managed to break free when they pursued us into a polarized magnetic field. They helped us to fight her forces," Ashley whispered, smiling. "It was a great team up." She squeaked cheerfully. "Before going home, they asked to use the Galaxy Gliders to cruise around space for a short time."

"They had a lot of fun," Andros commented and suppressed a yawn.

Ashley giggled. "Yep."

She spotted another pothole in the road. She drove around it, straightening the van with a turn of the wheel. She moved her hands to the bottom of it.

"I can hardly believe how many newborn baby clothes our families got us," he said in awe. "We were willing to wait until you were further along in your pregnancy to buy clothes, but they were determined to help us get a head start."

"I feel so grateful for that," she whispered, her voice becoming choked with sobs. "If we didn't have our families and friends' support, we'd be totally screwed." Tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall.

"Teens might have been able to buy houses right out of high school in the old days, but it's impossible to do that now," Andros said, hissing annoyingly. "Some people must have the best of everything, including clothes, cars, and houses. No matter how much they have, it will never be enough."

"We don't give a shit about material possessions," Ashley said, rubbing her stomach. The tears finally fell from her eyes. "All we care about is providing our children with a roof over their heads and putting food in their bellies. We don't mind spoiling them occasionally, but we will only get them stuff we can afford. Our families can pitch in if they want."

"I am so determined to be a good father," Andros said with much firmness.

"I am so determined to be a good mother," Ashley responded, taking slow yet even breaths.

Andros looked toward the trees once more. He cupped his chin in his hand, becoming deep in thought. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. He turned to Ashley.

"Ash, I was wondering. What would you think of going with the rest of the gang going to that cabin owned by Carlos's uncle Aaron for spring break?" Andros asked curiously. "We went up there for five days this past summer and had a blast."

"I love that idea, Andros," Ashley answered gleefully. "That cabin is a lot bigger than Aunt Raylene's. It has four bedrooms instead of two." She placed her hand back on the wheel. "Besides, it will be the last time we can take a trip together for a long while because we'll be busy with the twins after they are born."

"Unfortunately," Andros mumbled in dejection. "We could invite Leo and Kendrix to come with us. We could also invite Mike and Maya, but they couldn't come because their spring break happens a week before ours does."

"I've got it. Why don't we invite Mike and Maya to the cabin for the weekend before our spring break starts? They'll get to spend two days with us before they have to go home," Ashley suggested.

"That'd be great, Ash," Andros said eagerly. "All four of them deserve to have a little fun in the mountains."

"The cabin would be a little crowded, but four of us can sleep downstairs in the large living room. It has two long couches. The carpet is very comfortable," Ashley pointed out.

"Mm-hmm," Andros agreed. "We should talk to Carlos about this sometime after we get home. I'm sure he'd love it."

"Me too," Ashley responded. She heard her stomach growl and laughed to herself. "I don't know about you, but I am getting hungry for lunch."

"So am I," Andros said, putting his hands behind his head while looking toward the road. "Just don't eat all my food."

"I'll try not to," Ashley whispered with a laugh. "Just watch out if I have a bad mood swing."

"Yes, sir," Andros said, saluting her. He winced quietly when he heard clear her throat. "I mean, ma'am."

Ashley shrugged. The final notes of the song played as it faded out. Celine Dion's _Because You Loved Me_ came on. She and Andros mouthed the lyrics as they passed a white-tailed deer nibbling on grass.


	74. Dining Out

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has a bit of Andros/Ashley. It's looking likely the next one will have smutty scenes involving them. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-five.

XXXXX

Chapter 74: Dining Out

A northern mockingbird flew through the noon sky above Ridge Peak. It spotted the Jones Café. The building happened to be medium-sized and had a gated area on its left side and tables with two to six chairs both there and inside. It decided to go downward and landed on the roof. It ran its beak through its wing feathers before letting out a small chirp.

The mockingbird looked toward the street to see Ashley pull her van into the mostly empty parking lot and park in a space next to the entrance. She turned off the engine. She and Andros undid their seatbelts. She grabbed her purse from the floor. They got out and made their way toward the entrance. Two children pushed the door open and ran out, forcing them to stop in their tracks. Their parents followed close behind. The couple looked at the family. They shook their heads in disbelief.

"What rude kids," he muttered annoyingly.

"Their parents didn't even reprimand them," she responded somewhat angrily.

He snorted as they looked ahead. "It makes wonder if TJ and Cassie will encounter misbehaving kids while they are out on their date tomorrow."

She whistled. "I hope not, but you never know."

"Look on the bright side. Most of Angel Grove's kids are disciplined," Andros pointed out.

"They sure are," Ashley agreed. "Of course, Cassie and I did stay out past curfew once." She showed mischievousness.

"No way!" Andros yelled in surprise as they walked inside.

"I'm not kidding," Ashley said truthfully. "This happened four months before TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and I met you. Cassie and I were supposed to be home by ten-thirty. We played video games at Howard's Arcade until eleven o'clock. My parents were pissed when I got home. So were Cassie's. We were both grounded for a month."

"I'm sure you learned your lesson," Andros said.

Ashley nodded at him. "I did, but that doesn't mean I don't dream of doing it again sometime."

Andros pointed his finger at his head. He twirled it around while making cuckoo sounds. Ashley laughed as they stopped before the hostess, who looked up and smiled warmly.

"Good afternoon. How many to a table?" the hostess asked.

"It's just the two of us," Ashley answered, motioning to Andros and herself.

"Okay," the hostess said and grabbed two menus and two sets of napkin-wrapped silverware consisting of a fork, a spoon, and a knife from the bookshelf beside her. "Come with me."

The hostess went to a back booth with Andros and Ashley close behind her. The teens sat across from each other as she handed them their menus and set their silverware on the table. Ashley set her purse in her seat.

"A waiter will be with you in a few minutes," the hostess said cheerfully.

"Thank you," Andros responded.

The hostess headed back to the front. Andros and Ashley put their menus on the table. They opened them and began looking through them.

"Wow. This place has so much great stuff to eat that it's hard to choose," he exclaimed.

"You're right," she agreed. "I already know what I want to drink. It's water."

"I'm getting iced tea," Andros chimed.

"Don't drink too many glasses of that stuff," Ashley warned, looking toward him with a smirk. "It'll send you to the bathroom for more than five minutes."

"Hey, I can't help it if I love that drink. It's even better with a lemon," Andros said in a prideful voice.

She giggled. "You might as well swim in a pool full of iced tea."

He formed a mischievous expression on his face. "Only if you swim with me in that pool."

She stuck her tongue out at him. She pulled it back into her mouth before laughing softly. She looked at the top of the second page and placed her finger on it.

"I'm having this chicken salad," Ashley announced.

"I'm having this fish sandwich and steamed vegetables," Andros said and tapped finger at the bottom of the first page.

Ashley pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "It's said that we should eat at least five servings of vegetables per day. Each serving is half a cup. That means we need two-and-a-half cups of vegetables. They need to be different varieties and colors for the maximum number of vitamins and minerals."

"I will always eat my vegetables. You will never see me without any meat," Andros said, sitting up tall and proud.

"We shouldn't eat too much meat. It can make us fat," Ashley pointed out seriously.

"As long as we exercise, we don't have anything to worry about. Besides, we are as healthy as horses," Andros responded.

"That's what Dad said after you left yesterday," Ashley said and cleared her throat.

Andros laughed heartily. "Touché."

Ashley waved Andros off. They heard footsteps approaching and saw a thirty-five-year-old woman coming their way. Being Asian, she was rather pale. She was tall with a somewhat muscular frame. Her long black hair was straight, except for curls at the tips. Her eyes were hazel and had freckles underneath them.

"Hello. I'm Audrey Wang. I will be your waitress today," the woman said, stopping next to the table. She took her notepad and pen out of her pocket. "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, we are," Andros said, looking down at the menu. "I'd like iced tea to drink. I want the fish sandwich and steamed vegetables. Please, put the tartar sauce on the plate. I want to put it on the sandwich myself."

"Okay, sir. I got all that," Audrey said, writing down the young man's order. She gazed at Ashley. "What about you, ma'am?"

"I'd like water to drink," Ashley answered. "I want the chicken salad with honey mustard dressing. Please, don't put the dressing on the salad. I want to do it myself."

"Got that," Audrey said as she wrote down the young woman's order. She took their menus and closed them. "I will get your drinks as soon as possible."

"Thank you," the teens responded.

Audrey walked away while singing nonsense. Andros and Ashley looked at each other with shrugs. He took her hand into his. He rubbed the back of it with his thumb.

"Something tells me that you will have a craving for a weird food combo later on," Andros said.

"Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Who knows?" Ashley said, giggling to herself. She placed her other hand over his. "I have no clue what I will crave next."

"I remember the _Saved By the Bell_ episode called 'Earthquake.' Becky Belding craved fries and got indigestion from that. She asked Richard to get her a ginger ale with a big scoop of peanut butter to settle her stomach. It was so funny," Andros commented.

She snorted. "It sure was. The funniest part was Screech yelling that a volcano was erupting when Bayside was in the middle of the earthquake."

"It's too bad we never saw someone dunk Screech in the basketball hoop," Andros whispered, making a funny noise.

"Or throw him in the volleyball net," Ashley added.

"That's a good one, Ash," Andros responded and pointed his finger at his girlfriend as if it were a gun.

"Don't point that finger. It might go off," Ashley warned playfully.

He lowered his hand. "All right. I won't. Just don't be surprised if I end up shooting paint instead of bullets with it later on."

Ashley leaned over and ruffled her boyfriend's hair, making him chuckle. She brought her body back. Audrey arrived with their drinks. She placed them on the table. The lovebirds mouthed 'Thank you' to her. They observed her walking away. They picked up their drinks and sipped them. They set them down as a middle-aged man passed them.

00000

The café was a little more crowded thirteen minutes later. Andros laughed as Ashley told him about the time she, TJ, and Cassie were caught up in a food fight started by Lenny Westford, Ted Sparks, and Janice Rayman during their sophomore year. Their silverware was unwrapped from their napkins.

"Food kept flying everywhere until Mr. Kaplan came in and yelled, 'Silence!' He looked so mad that it seemed fire was about to shoot out of his eyes," Ashley said.

"Who can blame him for being mad? A principal expects trouble in the cafeteria, but it doesn't usually involve a food fight," Andros said.

"Mr. Kaplan punished Lenny, Ted, and Janice after they admitted they started the whole thing. Lenny and Ted kept smearing food on each other's clothes after the former accidentally tripped and dumped his water all over the latter's shirt. Janice couldn't resist yelling, 'Food fight!' after Ted threw a banana at Lenny and missed when he ducked," Ashley commented.

"At least Mr. Kaplan didn't let the incident go unpunished like some principals do," Andros said in relief.

She picked up her water to sip it. "He is always on guard when it comes to bullies and disruptors."

He stood his fork on its end and acted as if he were walking it across the table. "Did you ever get in trouble at school before you met me?"

"I did get detention for being late twice. Other than that, I've never been in any trouble," Ashley explained, putting her water down.

"Cool," Andros said, laying his fork down.

The lovebirds watched a young woman walk past them. They listened to her singing nonsense. They turned back to each other.

"It'd be nice to hear Mr. Kaplan sing nonsense once in a while," Ashley commented.

"He is pretty good at mouthing words to lyrics. He knows he isn't a good singer," Andros replied.

"I wish Veronica would get the fact she isn't a good singer through her thick skull," Ashley grumbled, shuddering in disgust.

"I wish that just as much as you do, Ash, but we can't exactly point guns at her and demand her to admit she can't sing," Andros pointed out.

"Maybe we can't, but at least we can tell her to fuck off when she insults us," Ashley whispered. She hoped children didn't hear what she said. She didn't want parents coming over and ranting at her for cursing.

"So true, Ashes," Andros agreed.

"Since when did you start calling me Ashes?" Ashley teased and pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"I guess now," Andros said with a chuckle. She reached over and started knocking on his head. He faked screaming and pushed her hand aside. She leaned back. "I'm sorry, but you can't make my brain leave my head."

"I am determined to make it come out of your head. I hope it gives you a kiss!" Ashley squeaked cheerfully.

Andros blew a raspberry at his girlfriend, and she retaliated with one of her own. They heard approaching footfalls and saw Audrey coming toward them with their orders. She stopped before the table.

"Here are your orders," Audrey said, setting the plates on the table in front of the teens.

"Thank you," Andros answered gratefully.

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Yes, thank you."

Audrey winked at the couple. "You're welcome. Let me know if you need anything else."

Andros and Ashley watched their waitress walk away and turned toward their food. They grabbed their napkins to place them in their laps. Audrey made her way over to a woman, who sat at a table in the front. She pulled out her notepad and pen and listened to her give her order. She wrote it down while whispering inaudible words.

Ashley took the honey mustard dressing to pour it on her chicken salad. She set it aside before picking up her knife and fork. She cut her salad up. She placed a forkful into her mouth. She chewed it up and swallowed quickly. Andros removed the bun from his fish sandwich. He got the tartar sauce and dumped some of it on the fish. He returned the bun to its place while putting the sauce down. He got his knife to cut his sandwich in half. He picked up the first half to take a small bite. He proceeded to chew it up and put his knife down.

"Wow," he said in delight as he swallowed. "This fish sandwich tastes great!"

"I can say the same for this salad," she said with pride.

"I remember in _Problem Child 2_ when a tomato in Big Ben's salad moved from one place to another," Andros said, trying to keep himself from laughing. He swallowed with a quiet gulp. "He asked Lawanda what was in it. She said it was blue cheese. He saw a cockroach on her face. Then cockroaches started crawling out of the salad bowl. They attacked them and Little Ben. Junior laughed his head off. It was such a funny scene."

"I agree," Ashley commented. "John Ritter is such a funny man."

"He was at his best in the first two _Problem Child_ movies," Andros said in amazement.

She scoffed. "I can't believe they replaced him with William Katt as Little Ben in _Problem Child 3._ He sucked big time. The same goes for Justin Chapman as Junior when he took over for Michael Oliver."

"I pretend that movie doesn't even exist," Andros admitted firmly. "It's nothing more than a piece of crap."

"I say the first _Problem Child_ was the best," Ashley said honestly. She poked her fork into a slice of cucumber, followed by a broccoli floret.

"Me too. John and Michael had a great chemistry going from the second they came together onscreen. I could really see the father/son bond taking shape," he said, taking another bite of his sandwich. He chewed it quickly before swallowing.

"So did I. Jack Warden and Amy Yaserbeck were hoots as Big Ben and Flo," she commented and giggled quietly. "Michael Richards was cool as Martin 'The Bow Tie Killer' Beck."

"Hey, that actor shares the same first name as Michael Oliver!" Andros exclaimed.

"They sure do, but some guys named Michael preferred to be called Mike or Mikey," Ashley pointed out and put her fork into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed.

"Maybe I should change my name to Michael, so you can call me either of those nicknames," Andros suggested.

"No, thanks," Ashley answered. "I'd rather you keep your original name."

He gave her a thumbs-up. "Okay."

The teens laughed to themselves. They continued eating as two middle-aged men walked out of the café.

00000

Three elderly women entered the café thirty minutes later. The hostess got three menus and three sets of napkin-wrapped silverware. She took them to a table near Andros and Ashley. Andros listened to Ashley talk about the time she was the victim of a whoopie cushion in Brett Wayne's algebra class at the hands of Roy Turner in her freshman year. They had already finished their lunch and dessert, which consisted of chocolate cake with white icing. They were waiting for their bill.

"Mr. Wayne fussed at Roy over playing around in class and sent him to detention," Ashley said, holding up her hand. "Roy shot me an angry look as he left."

"Roy should've thought about what he did before he was punished," Andros commented matter-of-factly. "No teacher should tolerate pranks when it's not the time for them."

"You got that right," Ashley agreed. "That's why Mr. Kaplan hosts Prank Day in the fall every year, so students and teachers can play pranks on each other."

"I remember last year's Prank Day. Zhane and I rigged TJ and Carlos's lockers to shoot silly string all over them when they opened them," Andros said, rubbing his eyes. "They weren't happy about it. They got back at us by putting rubber ants in our seats in Mrs. Jenson's home economics class."

She giggled. "They might as well have put glue in your chairs, so you could never leave them."

He smacked his lips. "We would've torn our pants if we tried to get off them."

She laid her hand on the table and began tapping her finger on it. He decided to mimic her. He got a mock-annoyed look from her.

"Oh, you're imitating my tapping now, huh?" Ashley asked.

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem with that?" Andros replied and put his other hand on his side.

"Yes, there is," Ashley declared in an evil-sounding voice. "No one taps the table with a finger, except me!"

"Too bad. I'm tapping it, anyway!" Andros said playfully. "In fact, here comes my tapping finger!"

He brought his body forward and moved his tapping finger across the table and up her arm. He went to the top of her head. He proceeded to tap it. She pushed his hand aside. She brought her to his neck to tickle her. He laughed and pulled herself out of his grasp. He leaned back.

"I think we can wait until we get to the cabin to play around some more," he suggested.

She pulled her hair behind her neck. "Sure. We don't want to make a mess in here, do we?"

Andros shook his head before scratching his neck. Just then, Audrey approached him and Ashley with their bill.

"Are you two paying separately or together?" Audrey asked.

"We're paying together," Andros answered.

"All right," Audrey said and handed the bill to the young man.

"Thanks," Ashley said.

Audrey winked at the couple. Andros looked at the bill as the waitress headed to the cash register. He mumbled inaudible words. He put it down and reached into his pocket to get his wallet. He opened it, looking through his money.

"It's nice that you offered to pay for lunch before we got here," Ashley said sweetly.

"It's the least I can do since you've invited me to your aunt's cabin twice. Besides, we'll be able to talk about the twins as much as we want without anyone giving us disapproving looks like some did earlier," Andros whispered, gazing at her.

"Mm-hmm," Ashley agreed.

"I think three dollars will be enough for a tip," Andros said, pulling out three ones and laying them on the table. He got a twenty before closing his wallet and putting it in his pocket. "Come on."

Ashley grabbed her purse while Andros got the bill. They stood up and headed to the register. He handed the bill to Audrey, who typed in the price and rung it up.

"That will be sixteen dollars and fifty cents," Audrey said in cheerfulness.

"Here you go," Andros said, giving her the money. He saw her type in the amount given and ring it up. She got his change.

"Three dollars and fifty cents is your change," Audrey said, handing him the change. She smiled widely as he got out his wallet and opened it to put his change inside. She saw him close it and return it to his pocket. "Thanks for coming. Have a nice afternoon."

"You too," Andros said, saluting her.

The teens walked out of the café to the van. They got in and buckled their seatbelts. Andros rubbed his stomach, sighing in content.

"Man, that really hit the spot," he whispered.

"Yes, it did," she agreed and got her keys out of her purse. She placed it on the floor next to his feet.

"Thanks for suggesting Jones Café," Andros said, his voice tinged with sweetness.

"You're welcome," Ashley replied, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. "Thanks for paying the bill."

He winked at her. "No problem. Just don't let that salad leave your stomach."

She snickered. "Then don't let that fish sandwich leave yours."

Ashley started the engine. She and Andros heard Bryan Adams's _Summer of 69_ begin to play as she pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the street. He clapped three times.

"Whoo-hoo! I love this song!" Andros cheered.

"So do I. It's got a great beat to it," Ashley said with a delighted squeal.

"Who would've thought Bryan Adams could play rock-and-roll as well as soft music?" Andros wondered and laughed quietly.

"I know!" Ashley shouted, tapping her hand on the steering wheel. "He did a great job singing _Everything I Do (I Do It For You)_ on the _Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves_ soundtrack. He really puts his all into it."

"I love the parts with horses in any great film that takes place before the invention of the car," Andros whispered, moving his arms as if they were a horse's legs.

She nodded in agreement. "I have to give horses credit for being so hardy. They can survive in almost any weather condition."

He chuckled. "No kidding. They put their backs to the wind and continue grazing like they don't have a care in the world."

Ashley imitated a horse's neighing. Andros started moving his foot to the song. They proceeded to mouth the lyrics.


	75. Finally Back at the Cabin

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. It also has sexual content. As before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you can read at your own risk. I added three dollars to the total change in the previous chapter. I had forgotten about that part. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-six.

XXXXX

Chapter 75: Finally Back at the Cabin

A bobcat wandered into the driveway of Raylene's cabin in the midafternoon. It came to a stop. It looked toward the trees to see them dipping and swaying in the wind. A white-crowned sparrow sitting on a branch at the bottom of a tree became annoyed at another one hitting it in the back. It spread its wings and flew away.

The bobcat resumed walking. It moved off the driveway into the grass. It came to a stop. It sniffed at the ground, catching a scent. It began digging rapidly. It wanted what was underneath the ground so badly. A roaring engine scared it off into the forest. Ashley brought her van into the driveway. She switched off the engine. She turned to Andros with a big smile on her face.

"We're here, Andros," she announced and placed her hands on the ceiling. She acted as if she were pushing on it.

"I'm so glad. We would've gotten here sooner if that we hadn't been stuck behind that young man. He was going so slowly!" he yelled angrily. He balled his hand into a fist and hit the door in frustration.

"He had a lot of nerve getting angry at us when we passed him. The road wasn't a double line at that point, so it was okay for us to pass him," Ashley muttered, rolling her eyes as she laid her hands in her lap.

"He probably thinks everyone but he should follow the rules. I bet he sticks with pretty girls until he gets better deals," Andros suggested, gazing at her. He tightened his ponytail.

"Most likely," Ashley agreed. "Anyway, let's get out of this van. My legs need a good stretch." She patted both of her legs.

"Mine too," Andros said, touching his knees. "If we humans had four legs, we could move a bit faster."

"I don't want four legs. I'm happy with having two," Ashley said, placing one hand on the steering wheel and the other on her stomach. "Besides, I'd rather have extra arms to take care of our babies." She giggled at an image of her using four arms to carry the twins and stuff playing in her mind.

"I can't argue with that," Andros said, winking at her. "Anyway, let's get our stuff out of the car and into the cabin."

"The food and drinks should go first. After we put them away, we can bring the suitcases in," Ashley said, jerking her thumb in the direction of the back.

"Sure thing," Andros said, giving a thumbs-up. "By the way, it's a good thing we stopped at that market in Sandy Oak to get our food. We don't have to worry about it now."

"Nope," Ashley said, shaking her head. "The best thing about that town is it's just twenty minutes from here."

"Oh, no! We forgot the cheese!" Andros joked and snickered loudly.

Ashley punched her boyfriend in the shoulder. She looked down at the lever and pulled it, unlatching the trunk door. They unbuckled their seatbelts and got out. They stretched their legs for twenty-five seconds before heading toward the back. He opened it, revealing six plastic sacks filled with food and drinks. They grabbed three each.

The couple made their way to the back door. Ashley searched for the correct key and managed to find it. She unlocked the door and opened it. She ventured inside with him behind her. She flipped the switch, flooding the kitchen with light. They approached the table, setting the sacks on top of it. They took their food and drinks out of them.

Andros put all the refrigerated stuff into the refrigerator, including hamburger meat, hotdogs, bagged salad, and salad dressing. Ashley placed bread, buns, and crackers on the counter beside the sink. She grabbed a sack and placed the rest in it. She put it on the floor. They looked at what remained on the table. It consisted of paper plates and a bottle of diet coke. They looked at each other.

"Let's just leave that stuff there for now," he suggested and stretched his arms above his head.

She suppressed a yawn. "Okay."

Andros and Ashley went to the back of the van. He grabbed his suitcase, setting it on the ground. She got hers and slammed the door shut. He pulled his behind him with her following close behind. She closed the door and locked it once they were inside. They walked through the living room toward the stairs. They carried their suitcases upstairs. They entered the first room on the right.

The lovebirds set their suitcases on the floor beside the bed after they reached it. Ashley went to the front of it and sat down on the edge. She leaned back on her hands, sighing contently. Andros came to her side. He seated himself with a loud grunt. She looked at him, happiness radiating from her face.

"I can't believe we are finally back at the cabin," Ashley said with a quiet giggle. "The bullies won't be able to touch us for four days."

"Two new employees looked at me with much jealousy on my last day of work. I really want to stick my tongue out at them, but that would've made me no better than they were," Andros commented.

She brought herself forward. "Let those workers be jealous. You have every right to get away from judgmental jerks."

He flicked her nose. "Oh, yeah. By the way, you have every right to get away from them too."

"One of the best things about being in a cabin alone is we can curse as much as we want," Ashley cheered.

"No shit, Sherlock," Andros blurted out with great pride.

Ashley punched him in the shoulder. "Hey, fuck you."

"No, fuck you," Andros growled in a playful manner. "I love you."

"I love you too," Ashley replied lovingly and kissed him tenderly. "You know what I'd like to do?"

"Let me guess. You want us to take a shower together," Andros suggested.

"That's right!" Ashley squealed gleefully. "However, I want to use the bathroom first."

"Just don't decide you want to do your hair after you use the toilet," Andros quipped and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Oh, shut up!" Ashley retorted, making a mean face.

Andros shook his head. "No, you shut up. Anyway, I'm going to call our families and let them know we're at the cabin."

Ashley nodded at the young man. She stood up with a light grunt and headed out of the room. He rose to his feet and headed over to the phone. He picked it up and dialed the number to his house.

00000

Andros and Ashley were kissing passionately in the shower stall ten minutes later. They were directly underneath the running water. Moans left their mouths while their hands wandered and groped everywhere. Their hearts pounded so hard that it seemed they would leap out of their chests and land beside their feet any second. Much electricity coursed through their veins, and their tongues fought for dominance.

He kissed down to her neck and traced his tongue along it. She leaned her head back, sighing in great pleasure. She got louder when he gave it a blow. He smothered it with hungry kisses. She kissed his shoulder while running her hands up and down his back. She moved them to his shoulders. She gripped them as if she couldn't hold on to anything else.

She winced painfully when he bit down on her. She sighed in relief at the pain fading very quickly. She had no doubt a mark would be there in the morning, but she didn't mind one bit. In fact, she'd rather have many marks all over her body than none at all. He pulled back to kiss her possessively. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, smiling against her lips when she groaned.

Andros trailed kisses to his girlfriend's chest. He dropped to his knees while moving to down to her stomach. He ran his tongue over it before nibbling on it very gently. She screamed ecstatically as she leaned her head back. She brought her hands to his head to run her fingers through his hair. His hands kneaded her breasts, her nipples becoming hard to his touch. He decided he was tired of her standing. He took her hands and guided her to sit in his lap. She got her legs on either side of him. He pressed his forehead against hers, and she slid her arms around his neck.

"My beautiful mother-to-be," he growled intensely.

She hissed seductively. "My handsome father-to-be."

He smothered her neck with hungry kisses. He alternated between nibbling and blowing on it. He gave it a long lick before kissing it again. He moved his hands to her breasts. He fondled them slowly at first, but he upped his speed. He used his thumbs to tease her nipples. He pinched them hard, and she let out a loud wince. She became louder at his giving them another hard pinch. Her body tensed up as a gasping moan left her mouth. Fire started to build within them.

He kissed down to her chest. He teased her right breast with his tongue. She screamed delightfully, her head going back. Her back arched at his running his hands up and down her sides. He nibbled on her nipple so gently that it seemed he hadn't even touched it. He turned toward the left breast to lavish it with the same amount of attention. Her back made another arch, and she couldn't stop a whimper from leaving her mouth.

Ashley tapped Andros's head, causing him to look at her. She pressed a possessive kiss to his lips. She coaxed his lips to open with her tongue. She traced every inch of his mouth, smiling into it when she heard him groan. She planted kisses along his jawline before moving down to his neck. She slid her tongue up and down the latter. She blew on it while running her hands all over his body. He sighed in ecstasy, his hands moving into her hair. He gripped it so tightly that he appeared ready to rip it out.

"Oh, shit. Oh, God!" Andros yelled.

Ashley smiled. "That's it, Andros. Let it all out. I'm not even close to being done with you."

Ashley climbed out of her boyfriend's lap as she planted a trail of kisses down to his chest. She licked at the spot over his heart. He was unable to keep a moan from coming out of his mouth. She looked at his right nipple. She teased it with her tongue before blowing on it. He growled intensely, his back arching. She turned her attention to the left nipple to give it the same amount of attention. He squeezed his eyes shut, his hands moving to her shoulders. He squeezed them tightly. He knew he'd break them if he had super strength.

She looked down at his erect cock. She turned to him, seeing him open his eyes. She grabbed it. She stroked it gently before twisting her hands around it. He stared at with great intensity. She released her hold on it and leaned down. She slid her tongue up and down it four times. She used it to tease the tip. He clenched his teeth, a husky growl leaving his mouth. He felt as if he was about to lose it, but he wasn't going to do that.

He let out another husky growl. He needed to be inside her right now. He brought her head upward for a long, hard kiss. He took her hands and guided her back into his lap. She got her knees on either side of him again. He touched her hips. He positioned her to where she was aligned with his cock. He thrusted upward into her. They moaned at the same time. They would never get tired of this, for it was the most incredible feeling.

He began to thrust upward into her. She moved up and down on him, slipping her arms around his neck. She kissed him hard. She pushed her tongue past his lips and into his mouth. He moaned softly. He tightened his grip on her hips. She nuzzled his jaw before licking at it. She nibbled on it so lightly that it seemed she wasn't even doing that. He emitted a louder moan.

She slid her hands down to his chest to tease his nipples with her thumbs. He moaned so quietly that she didn't hear him. She kissed his neck hungrily while moving her hands over his body. She traced every muscle that lined his back, chest, stomach, and arms. He growled intensely. His hands grabbed at her head. The fire within him was building to such a strong point that he thought he'd explode any second. He had no doubt she was the same way.

Andros and Ashley kissed with great fierceness. Their tongues wrestled each other, and groans escaped their mouths. His thrusts increased in speed and intensity. The fire within them was reaching its peak. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair. They broke the kiss. They stared deep into each other's eyes.

"I can't hold on anymore, Andros," she groaned.

He hissed. "Neither can I, Ash."

The lovebirds kissed long and hard. Andros took hold of Ashley's hips, squeezing them hard. His thrusts came harder and faster. Their climax was almost there. She leaned her head back as he smothered her neck with hungry kisses. She tightened her grip on his hair.

After what seemed like an eternity, Andros released himself into Ashley. She echoed her release to him a second later. Their bodies trembled, their arms going around each other. They came back to reality. Their heartbeats returned to normal. They looked into each other's eyes. She brought her hand up and stroked his cheek.

"What a way to make love," she whispered.

"You said it," he agreed.

Andros and Ashley kissed very softly. They pressed their foreheads together. Their breathing seemed to mingle together.

"I feel so fortunate we got to make love in the shower again," Ashley said in sweetness. "This position was rather interesting."

"The shower stall isn't real big, but at least it's roomy enough for us do it in a number of positions," Andros said, tapping her nose with his finger.

"That it is," Ashley commented, kissing his forehead. "Speaking of making love, I'm eager to do it in the bed where our stuff is."

"Let's finish our shower first," Andros suggested.

She nodded. "Okay. How about you're on top this time?"

He chuckled. "It's a deal."

Andros and Ashley shared three kisses. She moved off him and stood up with a loud grunt. She took his hands, helping him to his feet. She turned around as he grabbed the shampoo. He squirted a small amount into his hand. He laid it aside and began scrubbing her hair.

00000

Andros and Ashley bathed in the afterglow of their lovemaking on the bed in their room thirty minutes later. They lay on their sides facing each other. The sheet covered their bodies from the chest down. He ran his finger up and down her nose before playing with a strand of her hair. She slid her hand over his chest. Their breathing and heartbeats were in sync.

"What a great round of lovemaking," he exclaimed.

"I can't argue with that," she murmured and touched his cheek. "I admit that I thought my sexual desire would decrease during my first trimester due to how I was feeling. It hasn't so far."

"I wouldn't have minded if your sexual desire decreased. Our relationship isn't just about sex. It's also about communication and compromise," Andros commented.

"We've compromised on a lot of things," Ashley admitted.

"Ain't—Isn't that the truth?" Andros asked, a snicker leaving his mouth.

Ashley slapped him in his temple. "You idiot! You said ain't!"

"Hey, I couldn't help myself," Andros said innocently.

"Oh, sure. It _accidentally_ slipped out of your mouth," Ashley hissed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Hey, cut it out with the sarcasm," Andros warned, pointing a finger in her face.

"Too bad. I'll be as sarcastic as I want," Ashley answered in defiance.

Andros growled in playfulness. "Okay. You asked for it."

He brought his hand to her neck and tickled it. She broke into a fit of hysterical giggles. In fact, she was so loud that a white-crowned sparrow perched on the windowsill flew off in fright. He stopped his assault, and she quieted down.

"Shit. You are so pretty when you laugh," Andros said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Are you trying to flatter me?" Ashley wondered.

He chuckled. "Maybe I am. Is it working?"

She nodded. "Yes, it is."

Ashley kissed Andros on the lips so lightly that it seemed she hadn't even touched them. She pressed her forehead against his. She kept it there for ten seconds before pulling away.

"Mom and Dad continued to be sexually active throughout her pregnancy with me, despite my grandparents told them it would cause miscarriage or preterm labor," Ashley said.

"Something tells me your grandparents would freak out if they knew we were still sexually active during your pregnancy," Andros said with nervousness.

"It's the times they grew up in," Ashley whispered, shrugging. "They were raised to believe sexual activity during pregnancy would harm the baby." She sighed heavily. "Whoever made that claim is an idiot."

"I'd love to punch whoever said that," Andros growled in annoyance. "The same goes for the person who said holding babies spoils them."

"How about we tell off all the people who continue to believe pregnancy and baby myths?" Ashley suggested. "One pregnancy myth says an expectant mother shouldn't eat smoked salmon because of the very small chance of mercury poisoning. In reality, it's good for her and the baby."

"One baby myth says the twos are terrible. In reality, the twos are terrible only if you are unprepared," Andros said, scratching his neck. "Anyway, I agree with telling people off who believe those ridiculous myths."

"Great," Ashley said sweetly and kissed his forehead. "Anyway, I'd just pay my grandparents no mind if they freaked out about our active sex life. That is if they ever intend to be part of our children's lives." She sniffled.

"TJ's grandfather never believed those silly pregnancy and baby myths," Andros said in relief. "He said he always told anyone who believed them were crazy."

She shrugged. He ran his hand over her hair three times before going down her arm. He reached her hand and entwined her fingers with his.

"This bed is just as comfortable as yours," he said, bringing her hand to his lips to give the knuckles a kiss.

"Oh, yes," she replied gleefully. "I feel like I can sink into it just like the other one."

"I hope you'll let me go with you," Andros murmured.

"Of course," Ashley said with a slow nod. "Don't worry. I won't stop to do my makeup." She winked at him.

"Great," Andros said and let go of her hand. He ran his finger up and down her nose. "Just don't think of putting any makeup on me."

"Don't worry. I won't," Ashley assured, touching his cheek. "Maybe I'll just draw a mustache on you." She snickered.

"No, thank you," Andros retorted with a smirk. She slapped him in the back of his head. She was about to do it again when he caught her wrist. He gave her a mock glare. "No, no, no. You can't hit me in the back of my head twice." Mischievousness showed on his face.

"Aw, man! You had to ruin my fun!" she whined and faked crying.

"Turn off the waterworks," he said, letting go of her and shaking his finger in her face. "You want me to give you a spanking?"

"No," Ashley said, shaking her head and letting out a fake sniffle.

"Good. You do look cute when you fake crying and sniffling," Andros said and kissed the tip of her nose. "God. Pregnancy has not taken away your sexiness. Even when your stomach expands, you will still be sexy."

She choked back a sob. "I'm so glad you think that. Some men call their women ugly when they become pregnant or have a hard time losing their baby weight."

"You will never be ugly to me. You will always be beautiful," Andros responded, touching her cheek. He got a kiss from her. They pressed their foreheads together. He slid his fingers to her arm. He ran them up and down it. "Do you think we'll have twins again when you become pregnant for the second time?"

"I don't know," Ashley admitted. "Then again, you never know."

"I definitely blame my parents for us having twins," Andros joked.

"I'm sure they would've been delighted to know we were having twins, though it's likely they would've said it'd be challenging for us since we were so young," Ashley said honestly.

"I would've been okay with that," Andros said with a shrug.

"Good," Ashley said lovingly. She heard her stomach growl and touched it. "Now, I'm getting a craving for some crackers and mustard."

"How about I go fix a couple of those and bring them to you?" Andros suggested.

"Okay," Ashley answered with a nod. "Thank you."

He smiled. "No problem."

Andros slipped out of bed and went to his suitcase, where their towels had been discarded. He set it on his back before unzipping it. He opened it to pull out a white t-shirt, blue underwear, and black shorts. He put his clothes on quickly and walked out of the room. Ashley rolled on her back. She placed her hands behind her head.

00000

Andros and Ashley were watching _Fifteen and Pregnant_ while sitting on the bed in the late afternoon. The scene where Tina lifted her shirt and exposed her baby bump as Adam watched came on. Ashley straightened her light pink t-shirt and her light pink shorts. She and Andros smiled as Adam placed his hand on Tina's stomach to feel Caleb kick.

"I can't get enough of this scene. Tina and Adam managed to reconcile here," Ashley whispered warmly.

"I understand they were at odds over her situation for a while, but he was sweet to tell her he'd stick by his girl if she were in trouble. In a way, he was telling her he'd do that for her," Andros commented, looking at her.

"It's pretty cool how they make non-expectant actresses look heavily pregnant," Ashley said, her face radiating with awe. "Birth scenes in film and TV could use a little work, though. They aren't very realistic." She scoffed.

"Unh-unh," Andros said, giving a sharp nod. He laid his hand on her stomach. "I can't help but wonder how long you will be in labor."

"I'm not sure myself," Ashley admitted. "In fact, it is possible I will be able to deliver one baby normally, but the other will have to be delivered by C-section." Her body tensed up. "I don't want to go through such a risky surgery, but I will have to if the situation calls for it."

"I'll be there for you throughout the C-section if it happens," Andros declared, slipping his arm around her shoulder. He gave her a small hug. "I'm not going to miss the birth of our twins."

"Talking about C-sections reminds me of the one Mollie had to save Julie's life in _Look Who's Talking Too._ James actually fainted while it was going on," Ashley said, trying to keep herself from laughing. "I think I would've spit out the cracker-and-mustard sandwiches you made me if we had been watching that part."

"It was funny," Andros commented, stifling a snicker. "When James took Mikey to see his mom and sister, he had a bandage wrapped around his head." He touched her temple. "It didn't seem to have a bump, despite he hit the floor pretty hard."

"It's a movie. It's not supposed to follow reality. The _Home Alone_ movies never did," Ashley pointed out. "In real life, Harry and Marv would've been dead from the injuries they suffered from in the first two movies."

"Marv got hit in the head with four bricks. The first one should've killed him," Andros said, gulping in a quiet manner. "I do admit he looked funny when he tried to warn Harry of the last brick."

"He sounded like he was speaking in a foreign language," Ashley said and spoke gibberish.

"Definitely," Andros said, hugging her more tightly.

Ashley settled into her boyfriend's embrace, taking slow yet even breaths. She placed her hand over his. She rubbed it gingerly, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"I want to teach our children how to do so many things that I can't even count them," she murmured.

"So do I, Ash," he agreed. "What I would really like to do is teach them telekinesis." He smiled. "Starting with small objects would be good."

"Who knows? Our kids might use it to tie their shoes," Ashley suggested.

"That would be so cool," Andros said, laughing and rubbing her arm. "Using telekinesis to tie bullies' shoelaces together will be a great way for the twins to deal with them without getting into fights. Watching the bullies trip and fall flat on their faces will be entertaining for them."

Ashley imitated a loud explosion. "Kaboom."

"Nice imitation of an explosion, Ash," Andros complimented.

"Thanks, Andros," Ashley said, bringing her hand up to stroke his cheek.

Andros took his hand off her stomach. He touched her wrist. "You're welcome."

Andros rocked his girlfriend back and forth. He moved his other hand to her hair to run his fingers through it.

"I truly believe we made the right decision to keep our children," Andros whispered honestly.

"I do too, Andros," Ashley answered and pressed her lips together.

He sniffled softly. "Though we are young, becoming parents is the greatest gift we could've ever received. Moreover, we have such an incredible support system."

She felt her lower lip quiver. "No matter what happens, you and our children will always be in my heart."

"And you three will always be in mine," Andros said, kissing her lips. "I love you so much." His voice became choked with sobs.

"I love you too," Ashley whispered, her voice filled with love. "Always and forever."

The couple shared three sweet kisses. They shifted their attention to the TV to watch more of the movie.


	76. Balcony Watch and Giving Presents

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. TJ and Cassie's first date is coming in the next few chapters. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-seven.

XXXXX

Chapter 76: Balcony Watch/Giving Presents

Andros and Ashley were swinging back and forth on the balcony in the early evening. They stared at the moon, which was surrounded by a cloud ring. The moon reflected off the lake, giving it its sparkling appearance. Stars dotted every part of the sky. They twinkled one at a time.

"What a beautiful night sky," Ashley said in awe.

"We deserve one after such a beautiful Christmas Day," Andros said and slipped his arm around her. "In fact, I say this night sky is even more beautiful than one we had here back in October." He gave her a small hug.

"I don't know who came up with the superstition that a cloud ring around the moon pointing downward indicates rain will come," Ashley whispered, gesturing toward the moon.

"Earthlings have the weirdest superstitions," Andros commented, raising an eyebrow.

"No shit," Ashley answered thoughtfully. "Some people say breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella inside, and seeing black cats all cause bad luck, especially if they occur on Friday the thirteenth."

"Maybe we should dare our rivals to open umbrellas indoors and see if bad luck will strike them," Andros joked.

"I'd love to see bad luck hit them," Ashley said eagerly. "They need a taste of their own medicine." She curled her hand into a fist and punched it into her hand. "I'd also love to slap them in their faces while having a mood swing."

He let go of her. "I'd pay to see that. In fact, give me a front row seat when you slap Johnny, Brian, Bianca, Tara, Veronica, and Erica." He winked at her after turning to her.

"You're on," Ashley replied and looked at him. "I have one request for you."

"What's that?" Andros wondered.

"You will paddle the troublemakers and give them kicks to their butts. Then you will use your telekinesis to tie their shoelaces together between their shoes," Ashley explained.

"It's a deal," Andros said, patting her shoulder. "Promise me you'll paddle and give them kicks to their butts."

She winked at him. "Sure."

The duo returned their attention to the moon. They watched a great-horned owl fly past it. Its silhouette seemed to meld against it. The owl disappeared beyond the horizon.

"The 1993 Superstorm had some of the biggest snowfalls on record," she said, clearing her throat. "The Great Smoky Mountains got over forty inches of snow. That's nearly three-and-a-half feet."

"That's a ton of snow," he blurted out.

"Yep," Ashley agreed.

"That would put a six-foot-tall man up to his waist if he stepped in snow that deep," Andros said with a small laugh.

"I'd likely be up to my chest if I stepped in such deep snow," Ashley admitted.

"KO-35 has never gotten snow, except on mountains. Much of the climate is too warm for it. However, I did see ice planets during my travels through space on the Megaship," Andros explained.

"Kind of like Hoth from _The Empire Strikes Back,_ huh?" Ashley asked in curiosity.

"Oh, yes," Andros answered. "However, these planets were nowhere near as cold as Hoth. "Oh a 'warm' day, the temperature would rise above freezing." He rubbed his hands together. "It never stopped me from wearing a thick coat."

"Everyone knows the wind chill is what is so dangerous about the cold. The lower the wind chill, the more quickly frostbite sets in," Ashley mumbled in fear.

"I can safely say that I have never been caught on an ice planet without a thick coat. Nor did the heating system ever fail on the Megaship," Andros whispered in relief.

"That's good," Ashley commented. "If a heating system inside a home fails for some reason, then people can bundle up in their coats and come close together to stay warm. If they have fireplaces, then they can start fires."

"For me, I'd rather use our body heat to warm up," Andros whispered seductively as he leaned close to her ear.

"You naughty boy," Ashley retorted playfully and pushed him away. "You'll end up on Santa's naughty list next year if you keep talking like that."

"I will keep talking like that," Andros declared with much pride. "No stupid naughty list will stop me. Nope, nope, nope." He smirked.

"Wipe off that silly smirk. This is the army," Ashley hissed in Haithi's voice.

"I can't get enough of your Haithi impression," Andros said, ruffling her hair. "You do such a great job of it."

"I do, don't I?" Ashley said smugly.

"Don't get smug," Andros warned, shaking a finger at her. "It'll bite you on the ass when you least expect it."

"I hope it does bite me on the ass," Ashley declared, moving her eyebrows up and down. "After it does, I want you to do the same."

"Weirdo," Andros mumbled.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ashley asked and snickered to herself.

Andros slapped his girlfriend in the back of her head. She retaliated with a slap to his shoulder. She pinched both of her boyfriend's cheeks. She moved his head from side to side. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands off. He kissed the tip of her nose. He blew on her face, making her hair go back a little bit.

"I wonder if you'd start a hurricane with all the blowing you do," she quipped and pushed him away from her.

"It'd be funny to see you fly away," he said and tweaked her nose.

"What's crazy is some people believe weather myths," Ashley grumbled, scoffing in disbelief. "One such myth says lightning never strikes the same place twice."

"That's a bunch of bullshit. Lightning can strike the same place twice, especially if the object happens to be the tallest one in an area," Andros pointed out.

She snorted loudly. "Another myth is lakes, rivers, and mountains can protect an area from a tornado. People like to claim that tornadoes just can't happen in their area or that something like a river protects their location. Just because a tornado hasn't happened in their area in the time that they've lived there doesn't mean it won't ever happen. Tornadoes have hit big cities too."

"The 1998 Nashville tornadoes are the perfect example. They were media sensations because they were the first to hit a metropolitan area in twenty years. In fact, they overshadowed the F5 tornado that hit Lawrenceburg," Andros said, amazement lining his voice. "That's only one of two F5 tornadoes to ever hit Tennessee. The official one, that is. The one that hit Pinson on March 11, 1923 is unofficial."

"Another myth is flash floods can happen only near rivers, creeks, and streams. Water can rush in from anywhere, even in urban areas. Overlooked causes of flooding include heavy rainfall, hurricanes, and snowmelt," Ashley commented.

"One more myth is you'll get electrocuted if you touch someone who has been struck by lightning," Andros commented, rolling his eyes.

"Bodies don't conduct electricity, so you won't get shocked by a person who was struck by lightning," Ashley mumbled and spoke gibberish.

"One more myth is cold air makes you sick," Andros said, scoffing. "That's only somewhat true. Viruses causes cold, not weather. However, chilly days can make us more susceptible to illness."

"Unfortunately," Ashley said and cringed somewhat.

He swallowed hard. "The craziest myth is you can't get sunburned if it isn't summer. Earth is physically closest to the sun in winter. Snow and ice can reflect UV rays, giving your skin a double dose." He shuddered badly.

"Ouchies," Ashley murmured.

"Hey, the Flesh says that whenever he gets hurt in the _Action League Now!_ segment of _KaBlam!_ " Andros yelled.

"Yes, he does. He's so funny with his stupidity," Ashley said in delight.

"It's too bad he can't be called a dumbass since it's a kid's show," Andros mumbled disappointingly.

Ashley shrugged. "Eh. What can you do?"

He chuckled. She slipped her arms around his waist and snuggled up to him. She felt him put his arm around her shoulder. He planted a kiss on top of her head. He started to rock the swing a little faster. She groaned while grabbing her stomach.

"Oh, no. I have a sick feeling coming on," Ashley whimpered. She looked about ready to vomit.

"Oh, honey. Let me make you feel better," Andros said comfortingly. He stopped rocking and rubbed her back.

"Oh, that hits the spot," Ashley answered and relaxed as she sat back. Suddenly, she slapped him in the back of his head. He grabbed her wrist, giving her an annoyed look.

"You tricked me with that stunt again!" Andros yelled.

"Yep!" Ashley screamed joyfully. "You really need to stop falling for that stunt!" She pinched his cheek.

"I can't help it. I have to keep an eye on you," Andros said and let out a long exhale. He released his hold on her. "After all, you are just two months into your pregnancy. You won't start getting over your morning sickness until after the twelfth week."

"I know," Ashley said and flicked his nose before giving it a gentle pinch. "I appreciate you looking after me. Just don't set something on my stomach when it is big and round. The twins might kick it off."

He blew a raspberry at her, and she responded by sticking her tongue out at him. They laughed before sharing two sweet kisses. They looked toward the moon.

"It's hard to believe the Lunar Palace was a place of good. Billy told us it was filled with so much darkness the two times he'd been there," she whispered in sadness.

"But it was pure," he commented. "It could've lasted forever."

Ashley sniffled. "Unfortunately, Lord Zedd brought darkness to it. He wanted Rita to use it as a base of operations. He was unable to destroy the good in the caverns below. The Caves of Deception was the perfect place for the people of the M-51 Galaxy to hide the Zeo Crystal."

"It's good Kat went with Tommy. She kept Zedd and Rita occupied while he got the crystal. Zedd and Rita couldn't believe he got the crystal without them knowing," Andros murmured.

"I wish I could've seen the priceless looks on their faces," Ashley admitted in eagerness. "I would've been laughing my ass off."

Andros smiled. "I would've too."

She ruffled his hair while speaking gibberish. She laughed at him doing the same to hers. She laid her hands in her lap, straightening her posture.

"I have a Christmas present for you in my suitcase," she announced.

"Really?" he said, becoming excited. "I have one for you too."

"What do you say we give them to each other?" Ashley suggested.

"I say that's a good idea," Andros answered.

The lovebirds stood up and headed inside. They went to their suitcases and unzipped them. They opened them, digging through their clothes until they found their presents for each other. His consisted of a small black box. Hers was the same size, except it was blue. They took the boxes out and sat down on the bed. They swapped them.

"So, who goes first?" Ashley wondered.

"I will," Andros said and lifted the lid on his box. His jaw dropped at what he saw. A silver chain necklace was inside it. He looked at her. "This necklace is beautiful, Ashley. It had to have been expensive."

"Not at all. In fact, it was on sale," Ashley said, giggling.

"Thank you," Andros answered and hugged her tightly. She gave him a bigger hug. They let go of each other and pulled back. "Now, you can open yours."

"Okay," Ashley whispered and opened her box. She gasped in amazement at what she saw. Two silver star-shaped earrings were inside it. "These earrings are beautiful, Andros." She looked at him. "You must've spent a bit of money on them."

"No, I didn't," Andros said with a shake of his head. "Besides, those stars remind me of us. We'll never fade away from each other."

"Thank you," Ashley said and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," Andros responded.

The lovebirds kissed tenderly. Their kiss turned passionate as they wrapped their arms around each other. Their tongues touched, causing them to let out loud groans. Their heartrates sped up, and electricity rushed through their veins. They broke the kiss for air. Their eyes were glazed over with lust.

"I'm ready for you to seduce me with your nightie again," he said huskily.

"As you wish. First, I need to use the bathroom. Then I will change into it," she answered.

He smiled. "Fine by me."

Ashley giggled and kissed Andros's nose. They closed their boxes with loud pops. He gave his to her, and she laid them on the nightstand. She stood up and walked to her suitcase. She dug through her clothes, finding her nightie. She pulled it out and left the room. He clicked his tongue before singing nonsense.


	77. Sexier Seduction and Midnight Speak

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. It also has sexual content. Like before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you can read at your own risk. TJ and Cassie's first date is coming in the next chapter or two. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-eight.

XXXXX

Chapter 77: Sexier Seduction/Midnight Speak

Andros lay on his back on the bed seven minutes later. He had his hands behind his head. He listened to a northern mockingbird chirping while seated on the windowsill. He let out a quiet yet impatient sigh. He wondered when Ashley would be coming back. He wanted to get it on with her so much. Of course, he knew she had to use the bathroom more often due to her pregnancy.

He heard a loud yet playful growl and looked toward the doorway to see her walk through it wearing her nightie. She stopped next to the door as he pushed himself into a sitting position. She leaned up against it and propped her head up with her elbow on it. She placed her hand on her side and her foot on her leg, chuckling suggestively. He gulped quietly, and his breathing turned to pants. His heartbeat increased in speed. His cock hardened when he noticed she wasn't wearing any underwear. She made her way toward the bed.

"Shit," Andros mumbled, swallowing hard. "You look even sexier in that thing without any underwear on."

"I decided to ditch it after I finished using the bathroom," Ashley said, stopping beside him. She climbed into his lap, getting her legs on either side of him. "I thought it'd be better for us." She placed her arms around his neck.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Andros growled in intensity. "In fact, I prefer you not wearing underwear in any kind of lingerie."

"Good," Ashley whispered seductively. "Now, come here."

She kissed him passionately. She slid her hands into his hair and grabbed fistfuls of it. He moved his into hers. He griped it just as tightly. Their tongues touched, causing them to groan softly. Her heartbeat got faster, matching his. Electricity went through their veins at such a rapid rate that it seemed it would never slow down.

She kissed her way to his ear. She ran her tongue along it before giving it a hard blow. He groaned pleasurably while his hands to her shoulders. He gripped them so hard that he believed he'd bruise them. She nuzzled his jawline before kissing down to his neck. She gave it a long lick. She began nibbling on it. He tilted his head to the side, which gave her better access. He sighed ecstatically.

Ashley captured her boyfriend's lips in a hard kiss. Her hands went to the collar of his t-shirt. She ripped it open with a loud, lustful growl. She took it off and threw the pieces to the floor. She slid her hands up and down his sides very slowly. She moved them over his arms, chest, stomach, and back in which she traced every muscle that lined them. She pushed him down on the bed.

She traveled to his neck to kiss it hungrily. She went to his earlobe and nibbled on it. She was gentle at first, but she upped the pressure. He whimpered so softly that she didn't even hear it. She pulled away and kissed him passionately. She plunged her tongue into his mouth. She traced every inch of it. An ecstatic moan came from him. She trailed kisses down to his chest. She ran her tongue up and down it three times. His breathing came out in pants.

She returned to his lips for a hard kiss. Her tongue teased his, and he emitted a soft moan. She placed her hands on his chest. She used her thumbs to tease his nipples, hardening them. She leaned down, stopping below the left nipple. She licked from underneath to above it. She moved over to above the right nipple. She headed downward to underneath it. He groaned so loudly that he sent an echo through the room. She came to his eye level to kiss him. Their tongues dueled each other for control. They let out loud groans. They hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Oh, shit. Oh, God," Andros whispered seductively.

Ashley smothered his neck with hungry kisses. "That's right, Andros. Let it all out."

Andros and Ashley kissed passionately once more. He turned their bodies until he was on top of her and in between her legs. He kissed down to her neck. He licked at it before blowing on it. She grabbed at his hair while tilting her head to the side. She whimpered quietly as he nibbled on her earlobe. They felt the familiar fire building within their veins.

He pulled back to look her in the eye. He slid his thumb under the right strap of her nightie. He pulled it off her shoulder to reveal her nipple. He teased the nipple in which he hardened it. He leaned down. He licked from her breast's underside to the top of it. He went back and forth four times. She screamed pleasurably as she rolled her head back into the pillow. She became louder at his teasing her nipple with his tongue. His other hand grabbed the right strap and pulled it down, exposing the other one. He teased it to harden it.

Andros moved over to the other breast's underside. He licked from there to the top of it. He went back and forth the same number of times as before. She whimpered in a soft manner. She moved her hands into his hair. She gripped it so tightly that she appeared ready to yank it out. She felt his lips on her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled his weight down on top of her.

He pulled away from his girlfriend and grabbed the straps. He pulled her nightie down her body very slowly. She giggled, knowing he was teasing her. He threw it to the floor once he got it off. He moved back and leaned down. He kissed her right inner thigh. He ran his tongue along it. He blew on it before giving it a hard bite. She hissed in huskiness.

He turned to her left inner thigh to give it the same amount of attention. He bit it somewhat. A whimper escaped her mouth. He looked at her entrance. He licked at it. She sighed in pleasure. He plunged his tongue inside her. He fondled her wet folds with such ravenousness that he looked as if he would lap every bit of her up. He teased her clit with it.

She moved her hips with his motions. She got faster when he upped his speed. He bit down on her clit very hard. She screamed in ecstasy as she came. She became lost in it, unable to breathe. Her high faded away, a sated feeling rushing through her body. She saw him come back to her eye level.

Andros kissed Ashley with much passion. She pushed her tongue past his lips, wanting to taste her sweetness. She smiled into his mouth when he moaned softly. She broke the kiss and stared at his shorts. She saw his erection poking through them. She grabbed the waistband and ripped them to pieces. She did the same to his underwear. She threw them aside, not caring where they landed. She stared into his eyes.

"I'm so ready for you to be inside me," she growled seductively.

He touched her cheek. "Then let me enter you. I don't want to waste any more time."

Ashley nodded at him. She balanced herself on her hands and knees. He took himself in hand. She lowered herself toward his tip, but she stopped. She moved upward. He chuckled, knowing she was teasing him. She resumed lowering herself. He held himself in hand until he felt her buttocks against it. She sighed at feeling the tip of him against her entrance. She descended until he was sheathed to the hilt.

She began moving up and down on him. Her hands went above his shoulders. He grabbed her hips. He moved her on him while meeting her movements with his. They let out loud, ecstatic moans. They would never get enough of each other. They would always want more. In fact, they couldn't imagine anything else being better.

He received a hard kiss from her. He sat up, sliding one hand into her hair and the other to the small of her back. He thrusted upward into hard and fast. He kissed her neck before nibbling on it. He bit down on it hard, her wincing like music to his ears. Her head flew back when he brought his hands to her breasts. He fondled them slowly but surely. He upped his pace. He pinched her nipples. She emitted an ecstatic scream when he teased one with his tongue. Her boyfriend repeated his action with the other. They felt the fire climbing higher within them. In fact, they believed they'd lose it any second.

Ashley pushed Andros on his back roughly. She kissed him very hard. She pushed her tongue past his lips. It touched his, and he groaned in a loud manner. She trailed kisses to his ear. She nibbled on it before running her tongue along it. He laid his hands on her shoulders. He squeezed them very tightly. She kissed down to his chest. She rolled his nipples in her hands. A heady moan came from him. She teased the left nipple with her tongue. He growled with great intensity. He became louder as she repeated her action on his right nipple.

Andros and Ashley felt the fire within them reaching its peak. She came to his eye level to capture his lips in a possessive kiss. Their tongues dueled for control. She broke their lip lock and pulled back to look at him. She braced her hands on his chest. She moved on him harder and faster. He took hold of the lower part of her arms while they stared deep into each other's eyes.

"Shit," he groaned with so much sexual intensity that it seemed he would lose it. "Oh, God!"

"Good, Andros," she said, smiling. "Let every single bit of it out."

Ashley increased the speed of her movements. She felt Andros's grip on her arms tighten. She moved even faster. She threw her head back as her climax took her. This triggered his, and he came with a loud moan. Their bodies trembled quite a bit. Their breathing came out as hard pants.

Ashley collapsed on top of her boyfriend. She rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed contently as his arms slipped around her. She traced circles into his chest while taking slow yet even breaths. Their heartbeats became normal. She blinked three times.

"Damn," he whispered, touching her hair. "I didn't know you had it in you to be so dominant, despite you're pregnant with twins."

"Me neither," she agreed and took her head off his shoulder to look at him. "There's nothing wrong with a woman being dominant over a man as long as he is okay with it and vice versa."

He chuckled. "I have to admit that I liked being dominated by you during this lovemaking session. It made you even sexier." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"I'm glad. I would've punched you if you didn't say that," Ashley threatened playfully.

"Oh, that really scares me," Andros retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You should be," Ashley said, snickering to herself. "I'm the big bad wolf."

"Yeah. You're so bad," Andros said, moving his hand to her shoulder. "I like a bad girl." He smirked. "Being bad makes you so sexy."

She smiled. "I'm glad. Now, I am going to make you forget everything."

Ashley kissed Andros possessively as she moved up and down him once more. He moaned excitedly when she felt him slide her tongue into mouth. Their heart rates sped up, and fire began to build within their veins. She made her way to his ear and nibbled on it. He let out a throaty groan. He slid his hands into her hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. He appeared ready to yank it out.

She kissed him once more. Her hands wandered up and down his sides. She grabbed his butt. She gave it a hard squeeze. He groaned against her lips. He kissed to her shoulder before returning to them. He sat up while keeping his grip on her hair. He thrusted upward into her hard and fast. She pulled away from him to stare into his eyes.

"Mine," he growled.

She hissed in seduction. "And you're mine."

The lovebirds kissed long and hard. He caressed her breasts slowly but surely. Her nipples hardened at his touch. He kissed her neck gently. He moved between nibbling and sucking on it. She screamed ecstatically while leaning her head back. They became lost in the pleasures of lovemaking once again.

00000

Ashley stuck a glass under the kitchen sink faucet and turned on the water just after midnight. She shut the water off when it was more than halfway full. She headed over to the refrigerator and opened the freezer. She grabbed four ice cubes to put in her glass. She closed the freezer with a loud slam.

She made her way over to the table and sat at the head. She took a long sip of her water before setting it down. She folded her arms and laid them on the table. Footsteps caught her attention. She looked up to see Andros walking into the kitchen. He waved at her.

"You just had to come looking for me, didn't you?" she teased.

"I can't help it," he said, coming to her side. He seated himself with a light grunt. "I get concerned when I find you are gone."

Ashley tapped the rim of her glass with her finger. "I was thirsty and thought I'd get some water." She grabbed it to take another long sip of water. She set it down. "At least the water tastes great out here. I don't think I could handle not having that."

"Hey, there is always bottled water," Andros pointed out. He folded his hands and laid them on the table. "There are so many different kinds of water that we can't name them all."

"Distilled water is the only pure form of water because it has had all its minerals removed," Ashley said.

"Tonic water is well known for its bitter flavor," Andros muttered and made a retching sound. "It's often used as a drink mixer for cocktails, especially those made for gin." He inhaled deeply before letting out a slow exhale.

"What's interesting is alcohol affects each person differently. Some people get drunk on just one drink. Others can down many drinks before they start to feel its effects," Ashley whispered in awe.

Andros grabbed a fistful of hair. "My parents enjoyed an occasional glass of wine. They were always careful with how much they drank." He placed it on the table.

"It's funny to see drunk idiots hit on Xena in _Xena: Warrior Princess._ She always responded with a punch to the face. That shows how much she didn't tolerate their catcalling," she said, giggling.

"I don't mind a woman telling she is attractive, but it doesn't give him the right to harass her if she doesn't respond," he grumbled.

"More women are harassed on the street than men are," Ashley said grimly. "However, both sexes are equally likely to be harassed." She gulped fearfully.

"If any guy tries to harass you on the street when I'm with you, he'll be hearing from me. If I have to, I'll fight him. No guy harasses my girl and gets away with it," Andros declared.

"If the catcaller has on nice clothes, then I hope they are ruined," Ashley said bluntly. "He deserves it."

He winked at her. "That's my girl."

He kissed her on the cheek. He rubbed it in a very gentle manner before giving it a pat. She slipped a lock of hair behind his ear. She straightened her pink nightshirt and her night shorts. He smoothed out his gray t-shirt with both of his hands. He did the same to his blue shorts.

"I can see Johnny being a catcaller. He loves seeing himself as God's gift to women," Ashley said, rolling her eyes.

"I bet those women wouldn't appreciate his catcalling. In fact, I honestly believe a few would slap him in the face and kick him in the nuts," Andros blurted out.

"I'd paid big money to see that," Ashley said, clapping three times.

"So would I," Andros said, a big smirk crossing his lips. "He needs to realize that women will never be into him due to his arrogance and selfishness. Then again, a beat down probably wouldn't help matters." He shrugged.

"It's more than likely he will plead not guilty to felony weapon possession. He thinks he did nothing wrong when he threatened you with that knife," Ashley muttered in some fear.

"Let's not forget we do have restraining orders in place. He can't come anywhere near our homes. If he's smart, he'll lay low. Getting arrested for violating a restraining order will just be another mark on his record," Andros commented in a blunt manner.

"He'll have a hell of a hard time finding a job after he is let out of jail for serving his sentence. That is if the case goes to trial and results in a guilty verdict. The same goes for him pleading guilty," Ashley murmured.

"Even if he is found not guilty, he won't ever be allowed to attend Angel Grove High again. People won't look at him favorably either. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he and his family left leave town and started over in a place where no one knew them. They'd be able to leave their ruined reputations behind," Andros explained.

"Yes, but you can never forget your past," Ashley said seriously. "It will always be a part of you, even when you put it behind you." She sniffled.

"I will never forget how badly people treated us simply because we became parents so young. It will continue long after the twins are born," Andros admitted, sighing frustratingly.

"We can't do anything about it, but I'm determined not to focus on that. I will do my best to make the future bright for our family," Ashley answered in determination.

"I will too," Andros said, wiping a tear from his eye. He took her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Who knows? We could have identical twins."

"Even if the twins are identical, it's unlikely they will have the same personalities," Ashley said matter-of-factly.

"That's true, but it'd be fun trying to tell them apart," Andros said, chuckling to himself.

"We could always put nail polish on their backs. That's what helped Stephanie tell her turtles apart in _Full House,_ " Ashley squeaked cheerfully.

"Don't even think about that," Andros warned.

"Eh. It was just a thought," Ashley said, shrugging.

He growled playfully and kissed his girlfriend on the lips. He rubbed noses with her before giving her a kiss on the tip of hers.

"What do you say we go back to bed?" he suggested.

She nodded. "Okay."

Ashley grabbed her water. She and Andros stood up with light grunts. They headed out of the kitchen and through the living room. They went upstairs. As they reached the doorway, she began to feel queasy and came to a stop. He stopped and looked at her.

"Oh, I'm going to be sick," Ashley cried and handed her water to him.

Andros watched her rush for the second door on the right, which was the bathroom. He listened to her vomiting. He went into the room to her side of the bed. He set the water on the nightstand. He raced toward the bathroom. He entered to see her still vomiting while leaned over the toilet. He went to her side and pulled her hair back. She stopped and panted hard.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. She tried to rise to her full height, but she couldn't. She threw up the rest of her stomach contents. She breathed heavily. She managed to catch her breath. "You can let go now. I'm okay."

He let go of her. She stood up and walked over to the sink, her body shaking somewhat. She turned on the water and gathered some in her hand. She placed it in her mouth. She swished it around before spitting it out. She switched it off. He came to her side and touched her shoulder. She looked at him.

"The joys of morning sickness," Ashley muttered sarcastically. "Be prepared for four more weeks of it. If we're lucky, we'll get more."

"Hey, I'm more than willing to deal with it," Andros answered sweetly and gave her a gentle hug.

"I'm glad you do," Ashley said in relief.

"Besides, I'd rather deal with you than some pregnant spoiled brat who thinks motherhood is like a Huggies commercial," Andros commented.

"Of course," Ashley agreed. "Come on. Let's go to bed."

Andros and Ashley returned to their room. They went on their respective sides of the bed and got in. He laid on his back, and she snuggled up to him. She put her head on his chest. She sighed contently at his arms going around her.

"I will definitely like waking up next to you every morning once you move in with my family," she said eagerly.

"Me too," he admitted and touched her hair. "Good night."

She smiled. "Good night."

The lovebirds closed their eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep. Their soft breathing was all that could be heard.


	78. Beach Playtime

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here is chapter seventy-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. TJ and Cassie's first date is finally here. I've been waiting a long while to do this. This chapter has plenty of TJ/Cassie. Stay tuned for chapter seventy-nine.

XXXXX

Chapter 78: Beach Playtime

The late morning sun shined on the beach the next day. It reflected off the ocean, giving it a sparkling appearance. Waves crashed onto the beach. They went back out to sea, but more came in. A gull walked along the shoreline while looking around. It was hit by water and moved onto the dry sand. It shook its entire body to get dry. A Frisbee flew downward, scaring it off. It landed softly in which it sent sand flying in all directions. TJ approached it to pick it up. He made his way toward Cassie. He stopped a short distance away from her.

"Here it comes, Cassie!" he called.

She gave him a thumbs-up. "Okay, Teej!"

He took a deep breath and threw the Frisbee very hard. She started running after it sailed over her head. She picked up her pace as it headed toward the sand. She jumped for it. She managed to catch it. He laughed while clapping three times.

"Nice catch!" TJ shouted proudly.

"Thanks!" Cassie yelled. "Now, go long!"

TJ nodded at Cassie and started his run. She tossed the Frisbee as hard as she could. He watched it fly over his head. He became determined and increased his stride. He held out his hand as he leapt for the Frisbee. He caught it, landing on his feet gracefully. She squealed gleefully while jumping up and down.

"That was a fantastic catch!" she shouted.

"Thanks," he said, smiling widely. "I'm the best Frisbee catcher there is."

"Unh-unh! I'm the best Frisbee catcher!" Cassie yelled and approached him.

"No, I am," TJ said, staring her in the eye.

"I am," Cassie replied and crossed her arms.

"I am," TJ retorted.

"I am," Cassie growled and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I am," TJ smirked.

"I am," Cassie blurted out.

He slapped her lightly on the cheek. She uncrossed her arms and gave him a slap to his in retaliation. He waved his hand in front of her face. He raised it high and brought it downward rapidly. She smacked him in the back of his head. She rushed two fingers forward. He blocked her by holding his hand sideways between his eyes. She pushed his hand downward. He tweaked her nose, and she shook her head in disbelief.

"You can't get enough of that _Three Stooges_ routine, can you?" she asked.

"What can I say? I love it," he said.

Cassie became excited. "Then how about I do this one?"

Cassie picked up a stick and held it out in front of her. She placed her other hand above her head as if she were holding a hat. She flipped it as she moved her arm back and forth. She made shooting noises. TJ grabbed his chest while gasping in shock.

"Oh, no! You got me!" TJ yelled and groaned in pain. "I'm done for!"

He fell on his back with arms and legs spread out eagle style. His groans ceased completely, and he lost consciousness. She put her arms down and tossed the stick aside. She approached him. All of a sudden, he sprung to life and grabbed her, pulling her down on top of him. She smacked him on the chest in mock annoyance.

"You're so mean, TJ!" Cassie shouted and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"And proud of it," TJ replied and smiled smugly. "If you think you can change me, you've got another thing coming."

Cassie giggled. "Oh, really?"

TJ wiggled his eyebrows. "Yes."

Cassie tweaked TJ's nose before flicking his chin. He let go of her, which allowed her to sit up. He pushed himself into a sitting position. She pulled her knees to her chest.

"I love Angel Grove's beaches. They're so peaceful and pristine. Most of them are hardly ever crowded. Miami's always are, except at night," Cassie said and mumbled inaudible words.

"That's to be expected from a major coastal city," TJ commented.

"Some Miami residents are very rude when it comes to relaxing on a beach. They kick sand on you without apologizing. They shout at you for no reason," Cassie muttered, scoffing. "During a vacation that I took to Miami with my parents two years ago, a woman yelled at me when I was taking a walk on the beach one morning and stopped to look at the sky. She complained I was blocking her view of the ocean. I said I wasn't, but she didn't listen and called me a spoiled brat. She threw ice cubes at me. Her children joined her. I ran out of the way. She was a real bitch." She made a disgusted face.

"At least you don't have to worry about rudeness on these beaches," TJ pointed out.

"Thank goodness," Cassie responded with great relief. "I really wanted to put an ice cube down that woman's swimsuit. It would've been funny to see her jumping everywhere in trying to reach it."

"Oh, man. I would've loved to see that!" TJ yelled.

The duo laughed heartily while hitting their knees with their hands. They stopped when they ran out of breath. They panted until they caught it. She leaned back on her hands. She looked at him, and he turned to her. They didn't notice two gray squirrels running behind them.

"Despite Miami's crowdedness, it is a beautiful city," Cassie commented, smiling widely. "There's so much to do and see. I did a little snorkeling with my parents. It was so cool to see so many different fish. We even saw some bottlenose dolphins." She squeaked in joy.

"Were the dolphins playful?" TJ wondered.

Cassie nodded at him. "Oh, yes. One dolphin kept swimming around me. It went in circles, up, down, left, and right. I imitated its movements. I waved to it, and it imitated me with one of its flippers. I waved both hands, and it wiggled its entire body. It was so incredible!" She screamed in excitement.

"I can't imagine why it wouldn't be," TJ said.

"Being that close to a dolphin takes your breath away. It's like looking into its soul and finding a kindred spirit," Cassie said.

TJ laughed. "Mm-hmm."

TJ and Cassie looked toward the water. They watched a gull dive into it and emerge with two fish in its beak. The gull headed for the shore. It landed on a small boulder. It swallowed its catch before letting out a loud squawk. She leaned forward and folded her hands to lay them in her lap.

"I'm happy that I got to be a Power Ranger for more than a year. I really enjoyed helping people," Cassie whispered.

"I was nervous about the communicators going off during the first month," TJ admitted.

"I was too," Cassie said, swallowing hard. "It was embarrassing to see people stare at me." She made a weird noise.

"I know. At least they only assumed they were just loud wristwatches or cellphones," TJ pointed out.

"Yes, but not too many people have cellphones," Cassie responded matter-of-factly. "In fact, the first cellphones were the size of bricks."

"I wouldn't want to be carrying a brick," TJ joked.

"Me neither. Anyway, I do miss being a Ranger a lot," Cassie said sadly. "I can never forget the memories of fighting evil."

Cassie felt tears coming to her eyes. TJ gave her a sympathetic look. He took her hand into his. He squeezed it gently, which caused her to glance at him. He wiped a tear from her cheek when it fell from her eye.

"I miss being a Ranger as much as you do," TJ whispered gently. "I remember when we lost the Turbo Powers just after the Power Chamber was destroyed. I was so devastated."

"I was too. So was everyone else," Cassie commented, sniffling. "We were at our lowest point." She shuddered somewhat. "We knew we had to go rescue Zordon, but we didn't want to leave Earth unprotected. We didn't have any experience in outer space either."

He let out a small sigh. "But we still went looking for him. Thank God we encountered Andros when we did. He didn't trust us at first, but he warmed up to us when we defended the Megaship from Astronema's forces. He gave us Astro Morphers, so we could become Astro Rangers. It felt a little weird to be blue. I was used to being red."

"Carlos felt weird being black. He was used to being green," Cassie pointed out and gave a shrug.

"Yes, but that didn't matter. We got new powers. We were able to defend Earth again," TJ commented, a small smile crossing his lips.

She nodded in agreement. "So true. Ashley and I maintained our colors. We didn't change the color of our clothes."

"Carlos and I did. What amazes me is how no one figured out we were Power Rangers. We were so color-coordinated," TJ said, his face radiating with amazement.

"My guess is they noticed the color-coordination, but they didn't care if we were like that," Cassie suggested.

"You're probably right," TJ said.

"Anyway, I honestly believe it was good we revealed our identities to the world. It meant we didn't have to hide we were superheroes anymore," Cassie murmured in much relief.

"On top of that, we didn't have a choice. Astronema and Ecliptor were going to kill everyone. Still, everyone in the crowd claiming to be Rangers did buy us some time," TJ said, seriousness lining his voice.

Cassie smiled lightly. "That showed us how much they cared and didn't want us to be harmed. I'm glad they did that."

"Ditto," TJ agreed.

"Don't say ditto too much. You'll start sounding like Sam Wheat from _Ghost,_ " Cassie warned in playfulness.

TJ blew a raspberry. "Too bad. I will say ditto all the time if I want."

He pulled her into a headlock to give her a noogie. She shook free from his grasp and slapped him in the back of his head. He smiled at her. They put their arms around each other. They hugged somewhat tightly.

"It's fun to share a hug," she said with a giggle.

"If we hug too much, we'll end up stuck together like glue," he quipped.

"Yuck! I don't want to deal with glue's stickiness!" Cassie blurted out in some disgust.

"I wouldn't mind," TJ said with pride. He let go of her, as did she with him. "Besides, I'll keep the glue out of your hair." He flicked her chin twice.

"I'm glad you will," Cassie said in a sweet voice. "Now, come here!"

She jumped at him, pinning him to the sand. She unleashed a tickle attack on his sides. He roared with much laughter. In fact, he scared off three hermit crabs that had been walking by. He flipped her over and grabbed her wrists. He pinned them above her head. She struggled against his grip, but it was to no avail.

"Okay, okay! You win! I surrender!" Cassie shouted.

"Good," TJ said, winking at her. "Remember that I always win."

She smiled mischievously. "Oh, yeah?"

Cassie flipped TJ over and got back on top of him. She pretended to punch him in the jaw. She alternated between fists while acting as if she were yelling like a maniac. She yelped in surprise when he threw her off him. He sat up to push her to the sand. He pinned her down. She screamed with laughter as he tickled her all over body. He stopped his assault, and she grew quiet. They stared deep into each other's eyes.

"That laugh of yours makes you so beautiful," TJ said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Are you trying to flatter me?" Cassie asked.

He snickered. "Is it working?"

She nodded at him. "Yes."

TJ took slow yet even breaths, as did Cassie. Their hearts started to beat faster. He leaned toward her lips. He stopped just short of them when loud mewing came out of nowhere. They looked toward to see a Siamese cat standing close to them. The cat had a creamy coat, a dark brown muzzle, dark brown ears, dark brown paws, and light blue eyes. It appeared to be a little thin. TJ and Cassie furrowed their brows while staring it down. Their heartrates returned to normal.

"We just had to be interrupted by a cat," Cassie said and laughed to herself.

"I'll say," TJ agreed and got off her. He crawled over to the cat. She sat up and followed him. "I wonder who its owner is."

"It doesn't have a collar," Cassie commented, coming to his side. "It also looks hungry." The cat ran its tongue over its lips.

"You're right," TJ agreed, cupping his chin. "We should take it to the shelter and get it checked out."

TJ and Cassie reached out to pet the cat. It rubbed its face against each of their hands, causing them to smile.

"Aw. It's so sweet," she cooed.

He laughed delightfully. "It sure is."

Cassie scooped the cat into her arms. She stood up with a loud grunt. TJ followed suit, clearing his throat. It mewed hungrily and looked up at him, and he scratched it behind the ears.

"Don't worry. We'll get you something to eat," TJ assured.

"That's right," Cassie said, making kissing sounds. "The shelter will take very good care of you."

Cassie patted the cat on top of its head. She and TJ headed for his truck and got in. She placed the cat in her lap. They buckled up. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He drove down the street.


	79. Animal Shelter and Chatty at Arby's

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventy-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. I can't believe I've gotten five hundred reviews. I want to give a shoutout to Tasha Hill for being the five hundredth reviewer. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, and Ms. Catherine Willmon 2017 for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. Anyway, this chapter has a bit of TJ/Cassie. Stay tuned for chapter eighty.

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Chapter 79: Animal Shelter/Chatty at Arby's

A ringneck dove sat on the Angel Grove Animal Shelter's roof eighteen minutes later. It cooed softly before running its beak through its wing feathers. It spread its wings and flew downward. It landed on a windowsill. It looked inside to see TJ and Cassie watching forty-eight-year-old Marcella Valdez checking over their cat.

Marcella shined a flashlight into the cat's right eye, making it flinch slightly. Being Hispanic, she was quite tanned. She was rather tall for a woman. She had a lean frame with some muscle. Her eyes were light green eyes, and a scar was on her right cheek. Her long, straight black hair was braided. She shifted to the left eye. She checked its right ear, followed by its left. TJ and Cassie showed much concern and uncertainty.

"Is the cat all right, Dr. Valdez?" Cassie asked.

"Despite being underweight, she appears to be healthy," Marcella answered, turning off her flashlight. She slipped it into the pocket of her white coat. "I don't see any discharge coming from her eyes or ears. Her heartbeat isn't irregular, so there's no indication of heartworm. All she needs is a good diet to gain weight."

TJ sighed in relief. "That's wonderful. I can only imagine what she's been through." He shuddered.

Cassie petted the cat's back. "What about her owner?"

"We'll put some flyers out after she gets to her normal weight. If nobody claims her after thirty days, she'll be put up for adoption," Marcella explained.

"I think she should have a name for now. She won't be confused with the other cats if she does," TJ suggested.

Marcella bit her lip. "What would be a good name for her?"

The trio rubbed their chins in thought. The cat watched them, trying to make sense of what was going on. Suddenly, an idea clicked in Cassie's mind.

"I've got it!" Cassie exclaimed, holding up a finger. "How about we call her Pearl?"

"That's a great idea, Cassie. Her eyes do look like pearls," TJ commented.

"Definitely," Marcella agreed and picked up Pearl. She turned her until she was looking at her in the eye. "You're a pretty cat. Yes, you are."

Pearl licked the veterinarian's nose, which made her laugh. Marcella headed out of the room and down the hallway, followed by TJ and Cassie. They entered a room at the end of it. The medium-sized room had two dozen cages in four rows of six each. Two of the cages were empty. The cats mewed as if they were in a chorus line.

Marcella approached the first cage in the first row. TJ and Cassie stopped behind her. Marcella opened it and placed Pearl inside. She put food into a bowl and laid it in front of her. Pearl sniffed it with much curiosity. She began to eat. She didn't move when Marcella petted her. Marcella closed the door and ran her hand through her hair.

"Man, am I exhausted!" Marcella yelled and exhaled sharply. "I'm taking a nap once I get home!"

"You should see my mother," TJ said, snapping his fingers. "She gets grouchy whenever someone wakes her up from her nap!"

Marcella and Cassie covered their mouths to stifle giggles. TJ placed his hands on his sides. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Is there a chance TJ and I could look at the dogs?" Cassie wondered.

Marcella smiled. "I don't see why not."

Marcella, TJ, and Cassie walked out of the room and turned right. They entered a room at the end of the hallway. The room was large with twenty-four cages arranged in four rows of six each. Seven of the cages were empty. Some dogs barked and whined loudly.

"Just a few dogs may be barking and whining, but they are still loud," TJ muttered as he, Cassie, and Marcella went down the first aisle.

"Yes, but what can we do? We can't beat the crap out of them. That'd make us look really bad," Marcella responded seriously.

"Unfortunately, some shelters do treat their animals badly. In fact, they are known for putting them down just minutes after being brought in," Cassie whispered in sadness.

The trio continued on. TJ and Cassie looked at the fifth cage on the right, finding a boxer laying sprawled out on the floor. The boxer gazed up at them, becoming curious. Light brown fur covered its entire body, save for white on its muzzle, hindquarters, and tail. Its eyes were dark brown, and a scar was under the left one. Marcella came up behind the teens.

"Dr. Valdez, who is this guy?" TJ asked.

"That's Jumper. He's seven years old. He was brought here three months ago," Marcella said quietly. "He was emaciated and near death when he was found in his owner's backyard. I believed he wouldn't make it through the first twenty-four hours, but he did." She sniffed. "He gained weight after we put him a good diet. His owner was arrested for neglecting him. She was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison. He's a real sweetheart, despite what he's been through."

Jumper stood up to approach the bars. He stared at TJ and Cassie while licking his lips. He barked and wagged his tail excitedly. They got on their knees. They slipped their hands through the bars to pet him. Marcella smiled at them.

"Dr. Valdez, my parents and I have been talking about adopting a dog. I think Jumper would be a good one," Cassie said.

"I'll see what I can do, Cassie," Marcella responded. "I'll need your names, phone number, and address."

The veterinarian pulled a pen and a notepad out of her coat pocket. Cassie stood up and got both from her. She wrote down everything Marcella asked for. She handed them back to her.

"Thanks. I must warn you. Someone else might want to adopt Jumper," Marcella said seriously. "I will call to keep you and your parents updated."

Cassie nodded. "That sounds good to me."

Marcella winked at Cassie and walked off. She mumbled inaudible words as she focused on the written notes. TJ stood up and came to Cassie's side.

"I don't understand how anyone could allow a dog to nearly starve to death," TJ muttered, feeling disgusted.

"Me neither," Cassie whispered. "Some people think animals are nothing more than property to be used and abused for their own ends. That's not true. They're living beings that deserve to be treated with respect. If you can't take care of an animal, you shouldn't have it." She hissed fiercely.

TJ gave a sharp nod. "That's right. Jumper didn't deserve what happened to him. He never hurt anyone."

The teens turned back to Jumper, who barked and climbed on the door. They watched him poke his muzzle through the bars. They patted it gently. They laughed when he licked their hands.

"I hope my mom agrees with adopting him," she said.

"I think she will. You need to have faith when you talk to her about it. If you do, everything will go smoothly," he assured, his voice showing much gentleness.

"Thanks," Cassie replied. They watched the boxer drop back down to all fours and go to the back middle of his cage to sit down. They eyed each other. "I don't know about you, but I am hungry."

"I'm hungry too. As planned, we will have lunch at Arby's. Then we will head to the Angel Grove Aquarium," TJ said with pride.

Cassie showed excitement. "There's nothing better than seeing marine life up close."

"The best thing about it are the animal shows," TJ commented, a big smile crossing his lips. "This is especially true for the sea lion show. Bulk and Skull just can't resist doing funny things with the sea lions."

"Oh, yeah," Cassie agreed.

"It's a good thing we have year-long memberships. They allow us free admission anytime," TJ pointed out.

"Yippee!" Cassie cheered, holding up her hands.

TJ slapped her on the shoulder. "What are we waiting for? Let's go eat lunch and see some marine life!"

TJ and Cassie headed out of the shelter. They got into the truck and fastened their seatbelts. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He drove down the street.

00000

Arby's was busy at noon. TJ was waiting at the third of four cash registers for his and Cassie's food. He heard shouting and turned to see a young woman arguing with a cashier at the second register. He turned away while biting his lip. An impatient sigh caught his attention, and he looked over his shoulder at an elderly man.

"The line needs to get moving! I'm hungry!" the man complained.

"You need to be patient, sir. The workers are moving as fast as they can. They don't want to make a mess of things," TJ said in a calm yet firm manner.

"Oh, shut up, whippersnapper!" the man snapped fiercely. "All young people are the same. You have no respect for authority. You have no morals either. You have sex outside of marriage. You contribute to so many out-of-wedlock births that it's not funny. You're obsessed with hooking up with as many people as possible."

"Some young people don't have respect for authority, but many do. I'm not sexually active right now. If I do become intimate with my girlfriend, then we will use contraceptives to prevent pregnancy and STDs," TJ answered.

"Contraceptives should be banned. They only encourage people to have sex," the man hissed. "Preaching abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. Sex is supposed to be within the bounds of marriage." He huffed.

"You have a right to have those beliefs," TJ said and breathed deeply to stay calm. "I hate to tell you this, but there is no evidence that preaching abstinence keeps people from having sex. In fact, it actually encourages them to do it."

"That's what you think," the man growled and shook his finger at him. "You will never amount to anything, young man. You're destined to be a hamburger flipper at McDonald's for the rest of your life."

"Oh, I will amount to something," TJ retorted with much defiance. "On the other hand, you're just bitter that many young people are doing better than you ever did."

The man gave TJ the finger and looked away. TJ turned back to the counter with a heavy sigh. He wished he didn't have to deal with old people who were hateful toward young ones like him. He could take comfort in the fact that no one could take away his time as a Power Ranger. He saw a cashier approach with a tray.

"Here's your food, sir," the cashier said and handed the tray to TJ. "I didn't mean for it to take so long." He looked guilty.

"It's okay," TJ replied gently. "You have so many customers waiting on you that it can get crazy."

The cashier sighed heavily. "Unfortunately. Anyway, enjoy your meal."

TJ winked at him. "Thanks."

TJ got straws and napkins at the end of the counter. He went to the ketchup dispenser behind the lines and got two small paper cups. He squirted ketchup into them. He headed to the back of the restaurant, where Cassie sat at a booth. He sat across from her. He set the tray on the table. They took their food and drinks off it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to take so long," TJ apologized and placed his straw in his medium diet coke after opening it.

"Don't worry about it, Teej," Cassie said sweetly. She opened her straw to put it in her small diet sprite. "I wasn't in any rush to eat."

TJ groaned irritatingly. "Unfortunately, some people were. Can't people just be more patient? The world isn't going to move faster just because they demand it do so."

"I know, but we can't point guns at them and make them be more patient," Cassie pointed out seriously.

"Then fuck them," TJ whispered with a fearful gulp. He hoped no one heard him say that word. The last thing he wanted was for an angry parent to yell at him for saying it front of his or her child. "They aren't worth it."

Cassie gave a thumbs-up. "That's right."

TJ and Cassie removed the wrappers from their roast beef sandwiches. She bit into hers. She chewed it up and swallowed, nodding in approval. She sipped her sprite. She watched him take a bite out of his sandwich and chew it up.

"I swear, this place's sandwiches get better every time any of us in our group eat here," she commented. They placed their sandwiches down.

"Definitely," he replied and swallowed. "The best sandwiches are the roast beef ones, especially the beef-n-cheddar."

"I wonder why the workers put too much cheese on the sandwiches sometimes. I don't mind, though," Cassie said.

"You shouldn't because you look cute with cheese all over your mouth," TJ teased.

She blushed as red as a cherry. She tried hiding her face behind her hands, but it was to no avail. He laughed and shook his head while crossing his arms.

"Cassie, I didn't mean for you to blush!" TJ blurted out.

"I can't help it when you say flattering things about me!" Cassie yelled, the redness leaving her face.

He showed much pride. "Well, you deserve it. You're such a nice girl that I can't stand."

She growled playfully before laying her hands on the table. "Oh, you're such a bad boy!"

He took her hand and tickled the back of it. She tried to stifle a giggle, but she couldn't help herself. He let go of it to sip his coke. He observed her picking up her sandwich and biting into it. She chewed slowly but surely. He looked over her shoulder after she swallowed.

"Hey, is that Barry Watson over there?" he asked

"Where?" she wondered, becoming excited as she laid her sandwich down. She looked over her shoulder, unaware that he reached for one of her fries. She became disappointed when she didn't see the actor. She turned back to him as he took the fry and put it in his mouth. Her jaw dropped to the floor. "You little sneak! I can't believe you did that!"

"Gotcha!" TJ laughed. "I really fooled you, didn't I?"

"You did, but you won't be fooled by this!" Cassie growled. She stood up and reached over to smack him in the temple. She gave him a noogie. He pushed her arm aside. He held up a fist as she sat back down.

"You mess with my head, and you will be eating knuckle sandwiches for a week," TJ threatened in playfulness.

"Oh, I'm really scared," Cassie taunted and acted as if she were shaking in fear.

He blew a raspberry at her, and she responded in kind. They shook their fists at each other. They pretended to throw punches. Laughing heartily, they put their hands in their laps.

"It's nice to have lunch with you," TJ said, his voice tinged with sweetness. "I never thought I'd be on a date with you."

"Me neither," Cassie said, giving him a small smile. "I never thought you'd ask me out after the Christmas party." She giggled. "Then again, I can't blame you. You would've gotten frustrated if you kept getting interrupted while asking me out during it."

TJ shrugged. "At least we got to hear about Kim's training for the Sydney Olympics with Coach Schmidt. She's so lucky to be part of his team."

"He's a really nice man. He cares a lot about her," Cassie commented.

"Kim said he has never tolerated teammates making ugly comments about each other," TJ said, biting his lip. "She saw him suspend one girl for calling another clumsy and stupid because she stumbled after finishing a flip. The girl got mad and actually flipped him off."

"Talk about a rude girl," Cassie growled in annoyance.

"Exactly," TJ agreed. "She got what she deserved."

Cassie held up a finger. "That's right."

The teen grabbed more of their fries and popped them into their mouths. They chewed quickly before swallowing with loud gulps. They took long sips of their drinks and watched two people pass them.

"Kim said Coach Schmidt likes playing pranks on people. Some of the pranks he has come up with were so funny," TJ said and pressed his lips together. "Her favorite is the traditional Halloween prank. She and her roommate were chosen for it during her second year in Miami. He told them they needed to leave their dorm because cockroaches were found in the walls. The ladies rushed back to their dorm, only to be greeted with confetti in the face. He caught up to them laughing his head off. They laughed with him. He told them they could have the day off. They accepted it." He smiled.

"It's cool she has a coach with a great sense of humor," Cassie squeaked gleefully.

"You have a great sense of humor too," TJ pointed out.

"So do you," Cassie responded with a giggle. "Of course, I come up with better jokes."

"No, you don't," TJ said with a shake of his head.

"Yes, I do," Cassie replied while nodding rapidly.

"No, you don't," TJ retorted.

"Yes, I do," she smirked.

"No, you don't," he growled.

She blew a raspberry at him. They held hands, looking into each other's eyes. He tickled the back of her hand. She couldn't help but laugh. He gave it a gentle pat before letting go of it.

"You can't get enough of tickling my hand, can you?" Cassie asked.

TJ smiled. "No, I can't. I never will."

Cassie stifled a laugh and ate two more of her fries. She and TJ began talking about Riley's unborn calf as more people arrived.


	80. Rude Woman, Touch Pool, and Belugas

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. I changed the second title of the previous chapter because I felt the other one didn't fit it. This chapter has plenty of TJ/Cassie. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-one.

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Chapter 80: Rude Woman/Touch Pool/Belugas

People went up and down the Angel Grove Aquarium's walkways in the midafternoon. European starlings scurried past them. They squawked and flapped their wings to air them out. TJ and Cassie made their way toward the leopard shark exhibit. Two kids rushed out in front of them, yelling as if they were maniacs. This forced them to stop in their tracks. They shook their heads in disbelief.

"What rude kids," Cassie muttered.

"They need to watch where they are going," TJ said, his voice showing hints of anger.

She scoffed. "I bet their parents don't even care they are running around. On top of that, they are likely spoiled brats."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah."

TJ and Cassie resumed walking. They stopped at a gate surrounding an oval-shaped tank on all sides. The tank was seventy-four feet long, forty-five feet wide, and seventeen feet deep. It had sand, rocklike structures, and artificial sea grass to resemble the shark's habitat. She shrieked in excitement when a leopard shark swam past her. He raised an eyebrow.

"Getting a bit excited, aren't we?" he wondered and rubbed his hands together. He emitted a small snort.

"I can't help it. I love it when sharks swim past me. They're so cool to see up close," she said, smiling widely.

TJ pointed his finger at an approaching shark. "Hey, look at that one."

Cassie watched the shark swim past her. It turned around and approached a tuff of sea grass. It ran its nose through it. Another shark appeared and pushed it away. It bumped the other one in the side when it tried to come back. That sent it swimming off rapidly. She couldn't hold back a laugh.

"That shark showed who was boss," Cassie said with pride.

"The other one swam away like a rocket!" TJ yelled and imitated a rocket's engine.

"That was so neat," Cassie squealed gleefully. "Some sharks never learn their lesson when others exert their dominance over them." She clasped her hands together.

"The same can be said for other animals," TJ commented. "They may think they can top the dominant ones, no matter what."

"We'd know if we could read an animal's mind," Cassie said in thoughtfulness.

"Yeah. That'd be cool," a female voice said sarcastically.

TJ and Cassie cringed and turned around slowly to face Erica, who stood near a trashcan. Erica walked up to them, turning her nose upward at them. The area underneath her right eye was blackened from the punch that Kendrix gave her.

"Oh, look. It's Kendrix's witch of a sister," Cassie hissed.

"Hey, that's not a nice thing to say," Erica sneered.

"It may not be, but it's true," TJ responded seriously. "You bullied Kendrix all her life." Some anger showed on his face. "You continue to do so whenever you see her."

"You deserved the black eye she gave you the day before Christmas Eve," Cassie added with a growl. "Leo did a great thing teaching her how to defend herself." She nodded sharply.

"You'd think you wouldn't go out in public with such a shiner," TJ said, clicking his tongue three times.

Erica scoffed. "Who cares? I was bored and decided to find something to do. I figured walking around this aquarium would be good. I have just as much a right to be here as you do. Even if I got no presents from Uncle Carl, I bought myself lots of stuff for Christmas."

"I hope one of those gifts to yourself was a huge dose of humility," Cassie retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

TJ put his hands on his sides. "How about some empathy and compassion to go with that? Then again, you'll never know any of those. You only know selfishness, jealousy, and vanity."

"Ooh. Those are mighty words for two people who probably have memberships to this place. That would show how big losers you both are," Erica leered, narrowing her eyes at the duo.

"We do have memberships, but that doesn't make us losers. They help us save money. Why pay fifty dollars for a ticket when a membership gets you in free? It also gets us discounts for food, beverage, and gift shop items," TJ pointed out.

"TJ's right. Not everyone has a large amount of money to spend like you do. Of course, your money will run out someday if you keep spending it like crazy. You should be thankful you even have a roof over your head and food in your belly. Some people don't have either. Unfortunately, you'll never understand that because you think they deserve their fates," Cassie said bluntly.

"They do. They're nothing but leeches on society. The world would be better off if there were less poor people," Erica hissed, putting her hands on her sides.

"Many got there through no fault of their own, Erica. They shouldn't be treated any less because they are. They deserve as much help as we can give them," TJ commented.

"Who cares? They'll never amount to anything. Neither will you, your friends, and my sister. I will always be better than all of you are, especially Andros and Ashley," Erica growled and poked Cassie in the shoulder with her finger.

Cassie pushed the brat's hand away. "Andros and Ashley may become teen parents next summer, but they will give unconditional love to their twins. I'm glad they're at her aunt's cabin right now. They don't need any crap from bullies like you."

"I can see you being a horrible mother to your kids. You'd see them as nothing more than extensions of yourself. Either that or you'd ignore them and dump them on any babysitter you could find, so you could go party," TJ growled fiercely.

"What's wrong with a little fun, especially with men? After all, I've got the looks to attract them," Erica smirked.

"What you missed mentioning was having the personality of a wet mop," Cassie said, rolling her eyes.

"Cassie's right. You require constant attention, or you're not happy. I have news for you, lady. The world doesn't revolve around you. No one owes you anything," TJ added in a blunt manner.

"If you think you will have a happy life looking down on others, you've got another thing coming," Cassie added.

"We'll see, losers," Erica retorted with a roll of her eyes. "We'll see."

Erica turned on her heel and walked away. She bumped into a middle-aged woman carrying a large coke, which caused her to spill it all over her white t-shirt. She groaned in irritation and glared at her.

"You bitch!" Erica shouted angrily.

"I'm so sorry!" the woman yelled and tried to wipe the coke off with her napkin, but Erica pushed her away.

"Get away from me, slut," Erica hissed and watched the woman walk away. She heard laughter from TJ and Cassie. She peered over her shoulder at them. Some people joined in on the laughter. "It's not funny!"

"It may not be to you, but it is to us," TJ said and snorted softly.

"You just got karma served to you on a silver platter," Cassie commented defiantly.

Erica gave the duo the finger and stomped off. The laughter ceased completely, and everyone went back to what he or she was doing. TJ and Cassie looked at each other.

"Where do you want to go next?" TJ wondered.

"I was thinking the touch pool would be a great place," Cassie suggested.

He smiled. "I agree. Let's go!"

TJ and Cassie headed off. They stopped when a starling scurried out in front of them. They resumed walking.

00000

TJ and Cassie arrived at the touch pool five minutes later. The pool was rectangular-shaped. It was fifty-three feet long, twenty-two feet wide, and seven inches deep. It had starfish, sand dollars, clams, shellfish, and crabs. She reached into the water and pulled out a starfish. She ran her hand over the bumps and watched him get one.

"I can never forget how bumpy starfish are," she commented.

"Me neither," he said, touching one of the bumps. "Mom told me about how she would throw starfish back into the sea during vacations to Alabama when she was a kid." He laughed to himself. "Her father said they'd just keep coming back, but it never stopped her."

"My dad did that too," Cassie whispered. "He said it was a lot of fun tossing them in the water and seeing them come back."

"I hope I don't grow bumps like a starfish," TJ joked.

"I think you'd look cute covered in bumps," Cassie smirked.

TJ laughed playfully. "You'd look cuter with bumps!"

Cassie shook her head. "I don't think so!"

He elbowed her in the arm. She retaliated with a slap to his shoulder. They returned the starfish to the water. They got sand dollars. They looked them over. They touched them very gently.

"It's amazing that people call these creatures sand dollars," TJ exclaimed and ran his finger along the edge of his sand dollar.

"I heard they got their name from children in Maine who thought they were money mermaids used," Cassie said and placed her finger on the center of her sand dollar.

"Something tells me people have tried to buy stuff with these critters," TJ whispered with a nervous chuckle.

"I agree. The clerks would've been confused at being given sand dollars instead of real money," Cassie pointed out.

The duo laid the sand dollars back in the water. They reached over to get clams. They pointed them at each other.

"Clams look so pretty. It's really neat that you can use them as a source food," Cassie said as she touched the tip of her clam.

"Clams can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, fried, or even baked," TTJ said while looking his clam over.

She showed awe. "Some Native American tribes even used them as currency."

"I never knew that!" TJ exclaimed.

"Yeah. I read up on it in the library during the first month of our junior year. Clams have been used as buttons for clothes," Cassie explained.

"Mom told me about that once. Before then, I always wondered why some of my buttons were so shiny," TJ said thoughtfully.

"So did I," Cassie responded.

He smiled. "Cool."

TJ and Cassie slid their fingers along the edges of the clams. They pointed them at each other again.

"Say, miss. You're a fine-looking clam there," he said in a deep voice.

"Thanks. You look fine too," she answered in a high voice.

"What do you say we go for a midnight swim in the seaweed?" TJ wondered.

Cassie squeaked cheerfully. "I'd love to."

TJ growled with playfulness. "I'll see you at eleven tonight. Be there, or be square!"

She laughed and pinched his cheek. She spoke baby talk before letting go of him. They put the clams back in the water with great care. Just then, a speaker crackled with static. Everyone looked up at once.

 _"Attention, visitors. We want to remind you that our sea lion show starts in thirty minutes,"_ the speaker announced. _"Until then, we invite you to visit our other exhibits and gift shop or order quality food and drink at our concession stands. Thank you."_

The speaker crackled with static once more. The crowd went back to what it was doing. TJ and Cassie looked at each other. They furrowed their brows.

"Why don't we go visit the belugas before the sea lion show starts?" TJ suggested.

Cassie smiled. "Great idea."

TJ and Cassie linked arms and started walking. They sang nonsense and laughed to themselves.

00000

TJ and Cassie arrived at the beluga stadium within six minutes. It consisted of three sessions and fifteen rows. The splash zone consisted of the first three rows. The tank was half-oval shaped and measured one hundred sixty-five feet long, eighty-three feet wide, and thirty feet deep. Three rectangular-shaped tanks were behind it. They were ninety-three feet long, sixty-one feet wide, and twenty feet deep. A hexagon-shaped tank was behind them. It was one hundred fifty-one feet long, seventy-seven feet wide, and twenty-nine feet deep. It had rocklike structures along the sides to resemble beluga habitat. The teens approached the seven-foot high glass panel. They wondered where the belugas were.

Suddenly, Flit and Princess surfaced near the stage and swam toward three trainers on the slideout. They squeaked while being fed fresh fish from buckets. The former was the larger of the two. He was pale gray with small bumps on his melon and scars on his back. His eyes were light brown, and a small scar was underneath the right one. The latter was pure white, and her flippers curled upward. She had a notch in her right fluke, and her eyes were dark blue.

Casey swan near the glass and surfaced in front of TJ and Cassie. She had pure white skin and light gray spots near her dark blue eyes. Her lower lip protruded slightly further than her upper lip. Her flukes curled upward. The duo waved at her as she approached the glass. She blew bubbles from her blowhole. She pressed her melon against the glass before opening her mouth. They smiled at her.

"Hey, Casey. You're looking pretty," Cassie cooed.

"How are you doing today?" TJ wondered.

Casey closed her mouth and let out an excited squeak, followed by a series of clicks and whistles. TJ and Cassie tried to hold back laughs, but they couldn't help themselves.

"It's great you're doing well," Cassie said.

TJ reached into his pocket to pull out his keys. Casey looked at them, curiosity showing in her eyes. Bubbles left her blowhole. He moved his keys back and forth in front of the glass. She mimicked his movements with her head. She wiggled her body when he shook them. She opened her mouth to press her tongue against the glass.

Casey clicked and went to Cassie. She stared her right in the eye. Cassie stuck out her tongue while putting her hands behind her back. Casey opened her mouth wider. She stuck out hers. She whistled with joy. Cassie grabbed her ears before pulling her tongue back into her mouth. She moved her head to one side, which caused Casey to imitate her. She repeated her action with the other. The beluga mimicked her once more. She wiggled her body, as did Casey with hers. She giggled and let go of her ears.

"You're such a goofy beluga!" Cassie squeaked.

"I say she takes after you," TJ commented.

She scoffed. "You wish."

TJ punched Cassie lightly in the arm. He received a punch to his from her in retaliation. Casey spit water on them, making them yell in surprise. She opened her mouth and folded her tongue. They narrowed their eyes at her.

"You won't get away with that," TJ growled in mock annoyance.

"We mean it," Cassie added.

Casey shook her head. Just then, Julie and Silvy came up to the group. Their red t-shirts looked rather wet.

"TJ, Cassie, what a nice surprise!" Julie said.

"Mrs. Larson, Silvy, hi!" Cassie replied as she and TJ turned to look at the family. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, Silvy wanted to visit the aquarium. I thought that was a great idea," Julie answered.

"We just visited the pseudorcas! They were awesome!" Silvy yelled, clapping in much delight. "They kept bowing around the tank and spit on us a few times! Look at our t-shirts!" She and her mother held out their t-shirts.

"I see," Cassie said in awe.

"Silvy wanted to see the belugas before the sea lion show starts," Julie commented.

"We did too," TJ said, eyeing Cassie. "We felt it was the perfect way to kill time."

Julie winked at the teens. She and Silvy approached Casey as she hung at the surface. Silvy placed her hands on the glass.

"Honey, say hi to Casey," Julie said.

Silvy waved at the beluga. "Hi, Casey!"

Casey turned on her side and waved her flipper. Silvy turned in a circle while speaking gibberish. Casey clicked and rolled upside down. She pressed her melon against the glass as the girl stopped before her. Silvy made movements with her finger while pointing them at her when she returned to right side up. Casey imitated her motion with her head. TJ, Cassie, and Julie smile.

"They look really cute with her," Cassie chuckled.

"They sure do," Julie agreed.

"It makes me want to be a beluga," TJ said.

"Let's throw you in the tank, so you can be one!" Cassie joked while nudging him in the arm with her elbow.

"Only if you can come with me," TJ replied, looking down at her.

Cassie pulled TJ into a headlock and gave him a noogie. He wiggled himself out of her grasp. He tweaked her nose. He smacked her in the back of her head, and she pretended to punch him in the jaw. Julie snickered at them. They were unaware that Flit was swimming up behind them. Flit rolled on his side. He swung his tail, splashing them. TJ, Cassie, and Julie screamed in surprise. Flit turned right side up to spray air from his blowhole. Silvy laughed while pointing her fingers at the trio.

"Talk about getting caught by surprise!" Silvy yelled.

Princess came up behind the girl and spit water on her. Silvy jumped back with a yelp. The beluga repeated her action three times before blowing bubbles from her blowhole. Silvy stared at her, shaking their fists at her.

"You'll pay for that, mean beluga!" Silvy shouted with much playfulness. "You can count on it!"

Princess stuck her tongue at Silvy. She and Flit headed toward the stage, where two trainers stood. Just then, thirty-six-year-old Tim McCoy came up to the group. Being Caucasian, he was rather pale. He had short straight blond hair and light blue eyes. He was tall and had a muscular frame.

"Is everyone enjoying the belugas?" Tim asked.

"Yes, we are, Tim," Julie answered as she and the others looked at him. "It's great to see you." She winked at him.

"It's great to see you too, Julie," Tim said, happiness radiating from his face.

Julie eyed the teens while running her fingers through her hair. "I'm sure you remember TJ and Cassie."

"How can I forget?" Tim commented as he gazed at TJ and Cassie.

TJ gave him a thumbs-up. "It's not hard to forget you either."

"I'll say," Cassie agreed.

"I get that all the time," Tim said and looked down at Silvy. "My, you've gotten bigger since the last time I saw you, young lady."

Silvy held her hand above her head. "I can't wait to be even bigger!"

Tim ruffled Silvy's hair, getting a laugh from her. The group looked toward Casey as she swam up to it.

"Could you show us a behavior?" Silvy asked as she eyed Tim. "Please?"

Tim smiled. "I don't see why not."

Tim looked Casey in the eye and blew his whistle. He jerked his arms to the right very hard. She squeaked and dove underwater. Silvy climbed up to the fifth row of the second section for a better look. TJ, Cassie, and Julie did that too. All of a sudden, the beluga bowed in the middle of the tank. Julie, Silvy, TJ, and Cassie clapped while laughing.

"That was incredible!" Silvy shouted.

Casey came to the glass and spyhopped while wiggling her flippers. Tim chuckled and scratched it as she went closer to him. Julie, Silvy, TJ, and Cassie came back to his side.

"You're such a showoff, Casey! Yes, you are!" Tim said and looked at the group. "You want to see her imitate a whistle?"

"Sure," the others replied.

Tim cheered with great joy. "Great. Now, listen closely. I will do this only once."

Julie, Silvy, TJ, and Cassie focused their attention on the trainer and the beluga. Tim put his fingers in his mouth. He let out a loud whistle. Casey mimicked him perfectly. She squeaked joyfully while waving her flipper. The group clapped once more.

"That was awesome, Tim," TJ blurted out.

"You're a wonderful trainer!" Cassie added.

"Thanks," Tim replied with a big smile on his face. "Training belugas is my life." He stood tall and proud. "I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world, except dirt."

Julie, Silvy, TJ, and Cassie laughed. All of a sudden, Princess and Flit bowed in front of them. They sent a wall of water over the top of the glass. The Larsons and the teens were soaked. Tim broke into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"I have to say that Princess and Flit caught you by surprise!" Tim screeched while hitting his hand on his knee.

"You're telling us!" Cassie shouted, as she rung water out of her hair. "We're all wet!" She babbled under her breath. "You owe me new clothes!"

"He owes all of us new clothes," TJ quipped and looked down at her. "By the way, being wet makes you look cute."

"It does the same for you!" Cassie retorted, gazing up at him.

The teens stuck their tongues out at each other and made funny noises. Tim looked at his watch. He whistled softly as they pulled them back into their mouths.

"I have to help get the belugas ready for the next show. It was nice seeing you all," Tim announced.

"You too, Tim," Julie said, giving him a wink.

Tim saluted his friend. He walked off while snapping his fingers and singing nonsense. Flit and Princess followed him. Casey stayed behind. TJ looked at his watch. Julie, Silvy, and Cassie turned to him.

"We have nineteen minutes until the sea lion show starts," TJ said, seriousness lining his voice.

"We'd better get over to the sea lion stadium now before we miss it," Cassie said, clapping twice.

The quartet left the stadium. Casey dove downward. She bowed on the tank's right side. She went to the stage and put her flippers on it. She stuck out her tongue and wiggled it.


	81. Wacky Sea Lions

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has some TJ/Cassie. I will be returning to Andros and Ashley at Raylene's cabin very soon. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-two.

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Chapter 81: Wacky Sea Lions

TJ, Cassie, Julie, and Silvy arrived at the sea lion stadium within four minutes. It consisted of three sections and ten rows. The tank was half-oval-shaped and measured sixty-four feet long, twenty-three feet wide, and fifteen feet deep. A basketball goal could be seen on the left while a platform was on the right. Two basketballs were on the stage, which had four stone-like podiums in the center. The quartet approached the five-foot-high glass panel.

Cindy and Jenny lay on their stomachs on the stage. Their whiskers were folded against their snouts. Jenny let out a long yawn. She was the larger of the two. Her dark blue eyes had black marks beneath them. A scar went from her right ear down to her cheek. Cindy sniffed at the air. She bore a black stripe on her chest. Her eyes were dark brown. She had a tiny knick in her left front flipper and a scar underneath her right eye.

Cindy headed for the water, diving headfirst into it. She swam over to a girl and her mother, looking very curious. The girl took a cup out of her bag and presented it to her. She moved it from side to side. Cindy mimicked her movements with her head. The girl lowered the cup and brought it upward in a rapid motion. Cindy popped her head above the surface. She barked in much delight while waving her front flippers. Cassie tried to stifle a laugh, but she couldn't help herself.

"What a playful sea lion," Cassie said.

"It _is_ in Cindy's nature to be playful," TJ said and placed his hands on his sides.

Silvy giggled. "Just about any object will attract her attention."

"Even a walking stick will do," Julie commented.

Cassie reached into her purse, pulling out her keys. "I'm going to see if I can get her attention."

Cassie gripped her keys tightly. She looked toward Cindy, who moved away from the girl. She held them up and started shaking them. Cindy saw them and made her way toward her. Cassie smiled at her.

"Hey, Cindy. It's nice to see you," Cassie greeted and showed the sea lion her keys. "Do you remember these?"

The young woman shook her keys rapidly. Cindy lifted her head out of the water and barked excitedly. She wiggled her front flippers while bobbing her head. TJ laughed and crossed his arms.

"I say she remembers your keys, Cassie," TJ said and moved his eyebrows up and down.

"No doubt about it," Julie agreed.

"Just don't let her eat them!" Silvy yelled delightfully while gesturing toward Cindy, who had her mouth wide open and pressed against the glass.

"I don't think I'll have to worry about that, Silvy," Cassie responded calmly. She put her keys back in her purse. "Besides, I'd have to get another set of keys if she ate the one I have."

"She could always eat your hair," Silvy joked and covered her mouth to stifle a snicker.

"That is if you have a fish in it," Julie added.

"How about I put a fish in Silvy's hair as well as yours, Mrs. Larson?" Cassie retorted playfully and looked at the duo.

"Nah. I like my hair," Silvy said and touched the top of her head.

"I like mine too," Julie commented.

Cassie waved Julie and Silvy off and turned back to the glass. She stared Cindy in the eye. She waved her hands. Cindy mimicked her by wiggling her flippers. She blew bubbles from her nose and opened her mouth very wide. Cassie moved her body from side to side. Cindy imitated her using her head. Cassie became still. She placed her hand on the glass. Cindy laid her front flipper over it as if she were trying to touch it. TJ had to smile at that.

"Aw. Cindy just gave you a high-five," TJ commented.

"It's cool that a seal lion's flipper looks like it has five digits, Teej," Cassie replied and took her hand away from the glass before looking at him. "On top of that, its flippers are so much bigger when they're up close."

He smiled. "Yep."

Cassie shrugged. Unbeknownst to her, Jenny swam up behind her. She got to the surface and spit water on her, causing her to shriek in surprise. Cassie looked over her shoulder at her. She heard TJ laughing and stared at him.

"You just broke the rule of watching the sea lions because they will spit water on you if you don't!" TJ blurted out gleefully.

"Hey, I can't keep an eye on my surroundings every second, Teej!" Cassie hissed and punched him in the shoulder. She jumped when he smacked her in the back of her head. "Do that again, and I will twist your underwear in a bunch."

TJ laughed sarcastically. "Oh, that really scares me."

Julie smirked. "Nevertheless, Jenny did give Cassie a good soaking."

Julie didn't see Cindy coming up behind her. The sea lion spit water on her, which made her jump back. She repeated her action twice. Cassie howled with laughter. She got a mock angry expression from Julie.

"Cindy just gave you a nice soaking too!" Cassie yelled while pointing her finger at Julie.

"Oh, get out of town, Cassie!" Julie replied and jerked her thumb over her shoulder.

"No, you get out of town!" Cassie yelled, shaking her head. "Take your daughter with you!"

"Hey!" Silvy yelled in mock annoyance.

Cindy and Jenny spit on Julie and Cassie twice, getting laughs from them. They stuck out their tongues to press them against the glass. They came together. TJ approached them while taking his wallet out of his pocket. He showed it to them. The sea lions focused their attention on him. He smiled and put it out to one side. They looked toward it while twitching their whiskers. He made a movement to the other side, and they followed his lead with their heads.

TJ brought his wallet upward. He jerked it downward rapidly. Cindy and Jenny disappeared very quickly. All of a sudden, they leapt out of the water in the middle of the tank. They twisted their bodies as they went back in. Everyone shrieked in much joy. Cindy and Jenny headed to the group. They blew bubbles from their noses. Cassie placed her hands on the glass. TJ returned his wallet to his pocket.

"You two are so athletic, especially when you twist your bodies like that!" Cassie said excitedly as she and the others looked at each other.

"Not to mention that they dance really well," TJ said with pride.

"Hey, they're getting on the stage right now!" Silvy exclaimed, seeing Cindy and Jenny climbing out of the water.

The sea lions flopped toward the center of the stage. They started moving their heads and front flippers back and forth in a rhythmic fashion as the quartet went to the third row of the second section to get a better look at them. The front part of their bodies joined in their movements. They appeared to be dancing.

"Yeah! Go, sea lions!" Cassie yelled.

TJ pumped his fist. "Show off those dance moves!"

Cindy and Jenny continued their dance for two minutes before stopping it. TJ, Cassie, Julie, and Silvy cheered and applauded them as they bowed their heads.

"Great dance!" Silvy squealed.

"You're so cool!" Cassie added.

Cindy and Jenny returned to the water. They went toward the glass as the quartet got down from the stands. Just then, Bulk and Skull walked up to the group. TJ, Cassie, Julie, and Silvy looked toward them.

"You guys enjoying the sea lions just before the show?" Skull asked.

"We are, Bulk, Skull," TJ said and stepped forward. "It's nice to see you."

Bulk chuckled. "I'm glad you are enjoying the sea lions, TJ. It's nice to see you too." He looked toward Cassie, Julie, and Silvy along with Skull. "The same goes for you three."

"The pleasure is all ours, Bulk," Julie said with a nod.

"Mom and I met up with TJ and Cassie at the beluga stadium. We had fun playing with the belugas!" Silvy squealed in great glee.

Julie smiled. "The belugas got all four of us wet."

"This lady got the wettest," TJ joked, pointing down at Cassie.

"That's what you think," Cassie growled playfully as she looked up at him.

TJ ruffled Cassie's hair. He pointed his finger at her as if it were a gun. Silvy put the toe of her blue tennis shoe into the concrete. She crossed her arms while furrowing her brow.

"It's good that Andros and Ashley went back to her aunt's cabin. They need time alone after all that has happened to them," Skull commented gently.

"I'm sure their stay will be just as romantic as the last one was," Julie giggled.

"Those two are so lovesick that I feel sick!" TJ joked and held his stomach as if he had an uneasy feeling in it.

"I'll get a bucket for you," Cassie said, acting as if she were leaving.

"Please, hurry up with it! I don't think I can hold on much longer!" TJ groaned.

The rest of the group couldn't help but laugh loudly. Cindy and Jenny looked on confusingly. Bulk and Skull turned to them. They approached them, smiles crossing their lips. The sea lions showed happiness. They stuck out their tongues.

"Hey, girls. What's shaking?" Bulk asked eagerly.

The former bullies placed their hands on the glass. Cindy and Jenny pressed their tongues against the glass as if they were giving them kisses. Bulk and Skull tapped her fingers on it, speaking baby talk to them. Jenny opened her mouth. She and Cindy moved upside down. They waved their front flippers and put their noses on the glass. They jerked their heads three times.

"You're such goofy girls! Yes, you are!" Skull cooed.

"I find it amazing that sea lions can be trained to understand simple sentences," Julie commented.

Bulk walked his fingers up the glass. Cindy followed them with her eyes. "Thank God for the sea lion's intelligence."

"It's fun to learn new things," TJ said.

"Yep, yep, yep," Cassie commented, a giggle leaving her mouth.

"Are you Ducky now, Cassie?" TJ asked, glancing at her.

Cassie smiled. "I guess I am."

Cindy and Jenny went back to right side up as TJ and Cassie shifted their attention to them. They poked their heads above the surface and let out three loud barks. They darted underwater. They bowed across the tank before disappearing. Suddenly, they leapt backward in the middle of it. They twisted their bodies, landing on their stomachs with big splashes. Some water went over the top of the glass, which got the entire group wet. The sea lions returned to their trainers. They barked happily. Bulk and Skull stuck their tongues out at them. Cindy and Jenny mimicked them with theirs.

"You guys better put those things away if you know what's good for you," TJ scolded in playfulness. Bulk, Skull, Cindy, and Jenny pulled their tongues back into their mouths, making him smile. "Thank you."

"Just don't make saying that a habit, okay?" Bulk asked, eyeing his friend.

"Duly noted," TJ answered.

Jenny swam to the stage and climbed on. She headed for the first basketball. She knocked it into the water with her nose. She dove back in and surfaced underneath it. She balanced it easily on her nose. She ducked her head slightly and shot it upward. It went toward the goal, slipping through the net. She barked in much happiness and moved more of her body above the water to show off her waving flippers. The group applauded her with a loud cheer.

"Nice shot, girl!" Bulk called.

"You really made that basket with a swish!" Skull yelled excitedly.

Silvy laughed. "You're the best sea lion basketball player there is!"

Cindy got the basketball on her nose and tossed it to Skull. She let out a happy bark when her trainer caught it. Skull threw it back, and it landed in the water. She pushed it around with her nose. Bulk gazed at his watch. He emitted a long whistle.

"It's five minutes until the show starts," Bulk said, looking at his friends.

"I hate to say it, but we have to go get ready," Skull said regretfully.

"We understand, guys. It was nice to see you," Julie answered in a calm voice.

Bulk and Skull walked toward the stage with Cindy and Jenny following them close behind. The latter pushed the basketball. TJ, Cassie, Julie, and Silvy headed to the first section. They went up to the fourth row to sit down.

"I hope we get to see Jenny and Cindy play lots of ball games," Cassie whispered, her face beaming with happiness.

"It's times like this I wish I was a sea lion," TJ said and looked down at her. "You want to be a sea lion with me?"

Cassie gazed up at him. "I will on one condition."

"What's that?" TJ wondered.

"You have to let me shoot the basketball into the goal first," Cassie answered, winking at him.

TJ ruffled her hair. "It's a deal."

Cassie punched TJ in the shoulder lightly. They turned toward the stage as Cindy and Jenny got on. Jenny managed to keep the basketball with her. She picked it up with her mouth, as did Cindy with the other one. They headed over to Bulk and Skull. They handed the basketballs to them. More people began to arrive.


	82. It's Show Time

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some TJ/Cassie. I added podiums to the sea lion stadium in the previous one as I felt it was needed for this one. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-three.

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Chapter 82: It's Show Time

The stadium was packed with people five minutes later. TJ and Cassie chatted to each other, as did Julie and Silvy. Bulk and Skull put their headsets on and adjusted them a bit. Cindy and Jenny watched them closely. Their trainers went over to the podiums. They gestured for the sea lions to get on them. Cindy and Jenny went over to them eagerly. The former got on the first podium, followed by the latter on the second.

"I can't wait for the show to start!" Cassie shouted.

"Me neither. It's the best part of the entire aquarium. Next to the orca show, that is," TJ said.

"I bet the sea lions will spit a lot of water on you!" Silvy yelled while pointing her finger at the teens.

"The sea lions will spit water on us too!" Julie said and reached out to tickle her daughter's stomach.

Silvy laughed and pushed her mother's hand away from her. She tweaked her nose before giving her a slap to the back of her head. Julie felt someone smack her shoulder and looked at Cassie, who shook her fists at her. They pretended to punch each other in their jaws, alternating between them. TJ and Silvy laughed aloud.

"What a pair of rascals!" TJ blurted out.

"I'll say," Silvy agreed.

"She's the bigger rascal!" Cassie said and pointed her finger at Julie.

"No way!" Julie retorted and made a funny face.

"It's the truth. Get used to it," Cassie replied and raised an eyebrow.

The quartet looked toward the stage. Bulk stood next to Cindy while Skull was beside Jenny. The sea lion emitted three playful barks.

 _"Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Angel Grove Aquarium's sea lion show,"_ Bulk announced. _"We have a fabulous show filled with education and entertainment for you today. When you leave, we hope you'll carry a little more knowledge about the sea lion than you did when you arrived."_

The audience cheered and applauded. Cindy and Jenny lifted their front flippers and waved them. Cassie got her camera out of her purse and snapped a picture of them. Cindy and Jenny stopped waving and laid their flippers on their podiums.

 _"The sea lion is characterized by its external ear flaps and ability to walk on all fours. It is found from the subarctic to tropical waters in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres with the noticeable exception of the northern Atlantic Ocean. It lives in rookeries consisting of hundreds of individuals during the breeding season,"_ Skull explained.

 _"There are six species of sea lion, including the extinct Japanese sea lion. The best-known species is the California sea lion. It ranges along the west coast of North America and its islands. It is quite common in Angel Grove's waters. It feeds on fish, squid, crabs, and clams. Males measure eight feet long and weigh up to six hundred sixty pounds. Females are much smaller. They measure six feet long and weigh two hundred twenty pounds,"_ Bulk said.

Skull held up his hand. _"The average life span is twenty to thirty years. The average age of sexual maturity is three years old. Males don't start breeding until they are eight years old._ _They will stake out territories and fight other males to defend them."_

Bulk clasped his hands together. _"The names of this show's performing California sea lions are Cindy and Jenny. Cindy is seventeen years old. She measures five-and-a-half feet long and weighs two hundred pounds. She arrived here from southern California in 1985. She is going to go into the water and swim across the tank while showing off her front flipper."_

Bulk looked at Cindy and moved his arm in a circle. He pushed it forward. She nodded and got off her podium. She went to the water and dove in. She surfaced on the tank's right side. She rolled on her side to expose her front flipper. She swam across the tank. The audience stared in awe of her flipper.

 _"Each of the sea lion's flippers has digits made of bones. Its feet became flippers when it made the transition from land to water millions of years ago. Its front flippers help it to propel it through the water,"_ Bulk explained. He fed Cindy a fish after she returned to the stage. The audience applauded. _"Nice job, Cindy."_

 _"There is not a whole lot of difference in the size of the flippers between males and females, despite the former is larger than the latter is,"_ Skull added.

Bulk clapped twice. _"Now, Cindy is going to perform bows across the tank."_

Bulk focused his attention on Cindy and moved his arm up and down three times. Cindy barked excitedly and dove underwater. She did five bows across the tank. She returned to the stage and climbed on. He fed her two fish. She went to her podium to get on it.

 _"Good girl, Cindy,"_ Skull complimented and gazed at Jenny. _"Jenny is fifteen years old. She measures five-and-three-quarters feet long and weighs two hundred five pounds. She arrived from central California in 1986. She is going show off her back flippers."_

Skull raised his hand high. Jenny barked obediently and lifted her back flippers into the air. She stuck out her tongue, making the audience laugh.

 _"The back flippers help steer the sea lion when it swims through the water. Its streamlined body reduces drag,"_ Skull said. He saw the sea lion put her back flippers down. He fed her a fish after she pulled her tongue back into her mouth. _"Good girl."_

 _"The flexibility of the sea lion's spine allows it to bend its neck backwards enough to reach its back flippers,"_ Bulk commented, touching Cindy's neck.

Skull showed eagerness. _"Believe it or not, the sea lion got its name because of its whiskers."_ He touched Jenny's whiskers. _"It uses these whiskers to feel around in murky water."_

 _"Sea lions communicate with each other through all kinds of sounds, including their famous bark,"_ Bulk said, taking his hand away from Cindy.

 _"These ladies will demonstrate that bark,"_ Skull commented.

Bulk chuckled. _"Okay, girls."_

Bulk and Skull put their hands up and pressed their fingers together. They waved them from side to side. Cindy and Jenny started barking loudly. The audience clapped and cheered.

"Those sea lions look so cute when they bark," Cassie cooed, looking at TJ.

"They're not as cute as you are," TJ said, turning to her. He saw her blush somewhat. "There you go blushing." He pinched her cheek.

"Then quit saying flattering things about me!" Cassie yelled somewhat embarrassingly. The redness faded from her face.

"I'm not going to stop doing that," TJ said, shaking his head as he let go of her. "Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope."

Cassie smacked TJ in the back of his head. She received a smack to the back of hers from him in retaliation. They smiled at each other. They turned back to the stage as the sea lions became quiet. Bulk and Skull fed Cindy and Jenny two fish each.

 _"Okay, girls. Give each other a kiss,"_ Skull said, pointing his finger to the space between the duo.

Cindy and Jenny turned to each other. They leaned closer until their mouths met. They made kissing sounds. The audience couldn't help but laugh. They pulled back and received fish from their trainers.

 _"Okay. You should be ashamed of yourselves,"_ Bulk scolded playfully as he and Skull put their hands at their sides.

Cindy and Jenny moved their heads down to their front flippers. They hid their faces behind them. They whimpered shamefully. The audience laughed aloud. They looked up. Bulk and Skull gave them fish.

 _"Unlike many mammals, the sea lion's teeth are actually black. It's because of bacteria in its mouth. The bacteria are normal and healthy. They turn its saliva and the inside of its mouth dark as well,"_ Bulk commented.

Skull laughed. _"It's time for Jenny to balance a basketball on her nose. Then she is going to dunk it in the basket."_

Skull grabbed a basketball and showed it to Jenny, who became very eager. He tossed it into the air. She lifted the front part of her body, catching it on her nose. She set herself down very gently. The audience whooped while clapping. She handed the ball to her trainer, who gave her a fish.

Skull tossed the basketball into the water. Jenny hopped off her podium and went toward it eagerly. She slipped in and swam for the basketball. She went underwater to go around it twice. She surfaced underneath it, getting it on her nose. She ducked and shot her head upward. The basketball flew toward the goal in which it went through with a swish.

The audience cheered with great glee. Jenny lifted her body out of the water and wiggled her front flippers, causing everyone to laugh. She slipped beneath the surface. She swam toward the basketball, coming up in front of it. She pushed it toward the stage before grabbing it with her mouth. She climbed up and headed for Skull, who took it from her. He fed her a fish before she got on her podium.

 _"You're such a silly girl,"_ Skull cooed and patted Jenny on top of her head. _"Yes, you are."_

 _"Alrighty then,"_ Bulk said, clapping twice. _"It's time to do some sit-ups."_

Bulk and Skull waved their hands and headed to the area beside the first podium. They stepped five paces apart. Cindy and Jenny got off the podiums. They headed to beside their respective trainers. Bulk and Skull sat down. They laid on their backs, as did the sea lions with theirs. They put their hands behind their heads. Cindy and Jenny placed front flippers on their faces. All four of them began doing sit-ups. Silvy giggled to herself.

"Talk about doing sit-ups in front of a live audience," Silvy said gleefully.

"It's too bad sea lions can't do the bicycle move with their back flippers. They could tone those lower abs," Julie commented.

"Why don't you get a real bike? You can bike all the way to Canada," Silvy joked, gazing at her.

"That's not a bad idea," Julie said, ruffling the young girl's hair.

The Larsons glanced ahead. Bulk, Skull, Cindy, and Jenny finished their sit-ups. The former two got up, followed by the latter two. The sea lions received fish from their trainers. They moved toward the water and dove in. They did a series of bows across the tank. They disappeared underwater.

Suddenly, Cindy and Jenny leapt backward on the tank's right side. They reentered the water, creating small splashes. The audience whooped with great joy. The sea lions swam to the stage, climbing on it. They went to Bulk and Skull, whom both scratched them behind their ears. They gazed at the audience.

 _"Wave to the audience,"_ Bulk instructed.

The former bullies waved their hands. The sea lions mimicked them with their front flippers. Bulk and Skull became still, followed by Cindy and Jenny. They tossed them fish. They took deep breaths as the show continued.

00000

The audience clapped in a rhythmic fashion as Cindy and Jenny spun around on the stage in front of the podiums twenty minutes later. The show was near its end. Both sea lions came to a stop and headed for the water. They performed a series of bows across the tank. They headed underwater and leapt upward in front of the glass. They spit water from their mouths. They went beneath the surface. They returned to it. They stuck enough of their bodies out of the water to place their flippers on the top of the glass. They barked three times.

Cindy and Jenny slipped beneath the surface. The audience waited for them with much anxiety. All of a sudden, the sea lions leapt backward in the middle of the tank. They turned their bodies, landing on their stomachs and creating two big splashes each. They disappeared underwater as the audience cheered wildly.

Cindy and Jenny performed three bows before heading underwater. Just then, they came up onto the stage in front of Bulk and Skull next to the first podium. They raised their back flippers high as their trainers dropped to one knee and put their arms out to the side. The audience whooped and clapped loudly. The sea lions lowered their flippers. Bulk and Skull stood up and fed them fish. They patted them on their heads. They looked toward the audience.

 _"As always, we pick a child to pose with the sea lions at the show's end,"_ Bulk said.

 _"Who shall be the lucky one today?"_ Skull asked.

All the children raised their hands, waving them quickly. Skull searched them, coming upon Silvy. He laughed and pointed his finger at her.

 _"That girl right there!"_ Skull called.

"Yes!" Silvy cheered while pumping her fist.

 _"Come on down!"_ Bulk yelled, waving his hand.

Silvy stood up and headed for the stage. She stopped next to Skull, looking very eager. Skull looked at Cindy and Jenny. He gestured toward the audience before raising his hand high. They nodded at him and turned toward the audience. They lifted their back flippers. Silvy went between them. She dropped to one knee. She placed her hands on their necks. She looked toward Julie, who snapped a picture of her and the sea lions with her camera, smiling proudly. She stood up, and they lowered their flippers.

 _"That concludes our sea lion show!"_ Bulk announced. _"We hope you all enjoyed it. The orca show will start in forty minutes."_

The audience stood up and began to leave of the stadium. Bulk and Skull removed their headsets. TJ, Cassie, and Julie headed toward Silvy, who ran up to them.

"It was so cool posing with the sea lions, Mom! I felt like I was the luckiest girl in the world!" Silvy yelled, jumping up and down in joy.

"You looked great with them, darling. I got a nice picture of all three of you," Julie said, holding up her camera.

Silvy smiled. "Thanks. The sea lion show was so much fun. I don't think I've ever seen the sea lions as energetic as they were today."

"I don't think any of us have," TJ said.

Cassie laughed quietly. "Oh, yeah."

The group looked toward the stage. It watched the sea lions interact with their trainers. Everyone looked at each other. Seriousness crossed Julie's face.

"We'd better get home, Julie. The sun will be setting soon," Julie said, slipping a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, do we have to do, Mom?" Silvy asked, becoming sad.

Julie nodded. "We do, but I will be off work on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. We can come back on both days. How would you like that?"

Silvy cheered in excitement. "Yeah!"

"Great," Julie responded and turned to TJ and Cassie. "It was wonderful seeing both of you." She winked at them.

"You too, ma'am. We'll see you later," TJ commented, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Bye," Silvy squeaked sweetly.

Cassie smiled in warmness. "Bye."

TJ and Cassie watched the Larsons leave. They put their arms around each other, hugging somewhat tightly.

"That girl is lucky to have such a wonderful mother. Mrs. Larson is so devoted to her. She was the same with Troy. She needed to be after her husband died in that drunk driving crash five years ago," he whispered, sighing to himself.

"I can only imagine what Mr. Larson was thinking that night. He must've realized he'd never see his wife and children again. Troy and Silvy were so devastated to learn their father was gone," she murmured sadly.

"Then Mrs. Larson suffered another loss when Troy died of leukemia four years later. Despite this, she remains focused on raising Silvy," TJ pointed out.

"It's hard for parents to raise their kids on their own," Cassie answered, letting out a sharp exhale. "I admire them for working so hard to keep roofs over their heads and food in their bellies." She snorted.

"Mrs. Larson is the perfect example of that," TJ said with a small smile. "She tries very hard to make her daughter happy."

"She's doing a great job," Cassie commented.

"That she is," TJ said and caressed her cheek with his thumb. She put her hand over his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'd better get you home. Your parents will have my head if I don't have you there by dinnertime." He cringed at an image of Robbie and Lily being angry with him playing in his mind.

"Well, let's go!" Cassie blurted out.

"I hope we don't let the door hit our asses on the way out," TJ joked.

"Maybe it should hit our heads!" Cassie yelled and honked as if she were a goose.

TJ knocked on Cassie head, speaking gibberish. He felt her punch him in the shoulder and squeezed her sides. She broke free of his grasp to slap him in the chest. She smiled and patted his cheek. They wrapped their arms around each other and walked out of the stadium.

"Thanks for today, TJ. I had so much fun," Cassie whispered, sweetness lining her voice.

"You're welcome. I never realized how much fun a first date could be. I'm glad we went on this one," TJ answered with much warmth.

"You never cease to amaze me with your ideas," Cassie commented and rubbed her nose.

"Hey, you come up with great ideas too," TJ said.

She flicked his chin. "Yeah, but yours are better. You're the sweetest boy I've ever met."

He tapped her nose with her finger. "You're the sweetest girl I've ever met."

The duo pinched each other's cheeks. They put their hands at their sides and pressed their foreheads together. They smiled at each other. They looked ahead as they exited the stadium. People passed them on both sides.


	83. Too Much Traffic

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has a bit of TJ/Cassie. I will be returning to Andros and Ashley in the chapter after the next one. Kai will be returning soon along with Brittany and An-Mei. The first appearance of the teen parent support group is coming in the near future as well. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-four.

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Chapter 83: Too Much Traffic

TJ drove his truck down the interstate at a slow yet steady speed in heavy traffic in the late afternoon. Cassie had her head propped up with her elbow on the door. She tapped her fingers against her leg. He noticed her in the corner of her eye. The radio played Celine Dion's _The Power of Love._

"You look like you're getting anxious, Cass," he said and shifted his position in his seat a bit.

"I can't help it, Teej. I really want to get home," she replied frustratingly.

"I want to get home as much as you do, but I can't control the traffic," TJ said regretfully. "Sometimes, I wonder why cars were invented when horses can move without having to stop too often." He scoffed.

"Not to mention they can pull more than twice their weight," Cassie said, turning her attention to him.

"Draft horses can pull logs without trouble," TJ commented.

"Their strength and size enable them to do that. I think they could pull a mobile home or a semi with very little effort," Cassie said, a laugh coming out of her mouth.

He looked in the rearview mirror. He could see a truck coming up on his bumper. He heard the driver honk his horn. He groaned in annoyance.

"This dummy is riding my butt! I wish I could move faster, but I can't!" TJ yelled in anger.

"If you could back up and hit him, TJ, he'd stop in his tracks," Cassie said, looking over her shoulder at the truck.

TJ let out a loud sigh. "Then he'd sue me for everything I have. People are so impatient these days. They have to get everywhere fast!"

"Not to mention they don't care if they cause accidents in trying to get to their destinations," Cassie added.

"I could see Veronica trying to get everywhere fast. She's so impatient that she gives Anakin Skywalker a run for his money," TJ said.

"I would like to see some of that money," Cassie laughed.

TJ smiled. "Don't forget me."

Cassie saw the truck's left blinker begin to flash. The driver moved it into an empty spot in the next lane. He gave TJ a dirty look as he passed him. TJ narrowed his eyes at him.

"The same to you, buster!" TJ shouted and looked ahead. "What a rude jerk. He thinks he owns the road like many other people do."

"Some people think they own the sidewalks they walk on. They bump into others without excusing themselves," Cassie mumbled, gazing at him.

"On rare occasions, you're unlucky enough to get coffee dumped on you. You'll find yourself yelling your head off if it's hot," TJ said with a nervous chuckle.

She touched the back of her neck. "That sounds like the woman who sued McDonald's for not warning her about carrying scalding hot coffee in her lap in 1992."

"The woman actually had a legitimate case because her burns resulted in high medical bills. Nevertheless, it is believed that was the start of the business of frivolous lawsuits," TJ said with a heavy sigh. "In fact, they've happened before 1992. A man sued Anheuser-Busch for ten thousand dollars because beautiful women didn't materialize when he drank beer like they did in that Budweiser commercial in 1991. That lawsuit got thrown out."

"Why do I get this feeling someone will sue a laundry mat's owners for millions of dollars because they lost their pants?" Cassie wondered.

"That's ridiculous. What pants are worth that kind of money?" TJ scoffed.

"Only an idiot would think that," Cassie said, bluntness lining her voice. "Some people just want tons of money without ever having to work for it." She threw her hands upward.

He looked disgusted. "Talk about spoiled behavior at its worst."

"I'd love to put my foot up the asses of those people who sue over the stupidest things," Cassie said, determination showing in her voice.

"You can add my foot to yours," TJ commented, eyeing her.

"I won't forget that," Cassie promised.

TJ smirked. "You better not, or I will put my foot up your ass."

She waved him off. She laughed at his ruffling her hair and swatted his hand aside. He placed it on top of the steering wheel. He moved his other hand to the same place. She looked out her window. She watched a van go by. The traffic started to slow down a little more, forcing him to reduce his speed. He tilted his head to get a better view. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I can't stand traffic jams. It's like all the cars become snails," he mumbled in annoyance.

"Or grow roots," she said and grabbed the back of her neck with both hands.

"My family and I visited Raleigh a few times. The traffic jams are much worse there," TJ said as he gazed out his window.

"That's because Raleigh is a lot bigger than Angel Grove," Cassie pointed out.

"No shit, Sherlock," TJ said, making a funny face. "Believe me. You can get lost in such a huge city if you haven't been there enough."

Cassie laid her hands in her lap. She tapped her fingers against it. "You don't want to get lost in New York City. It's one of the biggest in the world. Kevin got lost there in _Home Alone 2: Lost in New York._ "

"Kevin should have let that ticket agent know he had accidentally gotten on the wrong plane," TJ said seriously. "She would've made contact with his family in Florida, so he could join them."

"Yes, but he had no intention of doing that. He was determined to explore the city. He even managed to convince the Plaza Hotel staff to allow him to rent a room with his father's credit card. What kind of hotel allows a child to check in alone?" Cassie wondered.

"It's one that has complete idiots. Hester called herself and the rest of the staff the finest idiots in New York. That made me laugh aloud," TJ said, chuckling lightly.

"Because of Kevin, his father owed the hotel nine hundred sixty-seven dollars in room service fees," Cassie commented and suppressed a yawn. "I was amazed that Kevin was able to hear Peter's voice from Central Park." She opened her mouth and let out a small scream.

"You better not scream again if you know what's good for you," TJ threatened playfully. He shook his finger at her.

"Bring it on. I dare you," Cassie taunted, looking toward him.

TJ turned to her. "Okay. You asked for it."

TJ reached over to smack Cassie in the back of her head. He laughed at her punching him in the shoulder. They looked toward the car in front of them.

"It's incredible how much this city has grown since the Power Rangers first appeared six years ago," TJ said, looking ahead. He shifted his position in his seat somewhat. "It's only going to get bigger."

"That means more traffic, but many new civilians will find it's well worth it due to a low crime rate, great jobs, great schools, and a balmy climate. What more could they ask for?" Cassie asked, shrugging.

"I enjoy living in Angel Grove. I don't want to move anywhere else in my lifetime," TJ declared, increasing his grip on the wheel somewhat. "The best part about living here is I got to know the previous teams of Power Rangers."

"You're not the only one," Cassie said, squeaking gleefully. "Let's not forget we got to help some Rangers in a fight before we became them themselves."

TJ clicked his tongue three times. He adjusted the rearview mirror and turned the volume down a little bit.

"Since Andros and Ashley's twins will be born in July 2000, they should start kindergarten at Angel Grove Elementary in August 2005," TJ said and tried to suppress a yawn, but he couldn't help himself.

"Do you think the kids will be in the same class?" Cassie wondered.

"It's possible," TJ answered honestly. He ran his hand over his face. "We'll just have to wait and see." He placed it back on the wheel.

She frowned. "I wish we didn't have to wait for anything."

"Nobody likes to wait for things," TJ whispered in a comforting voice. "Unfortunately, it's a fact of life." He sighed heavily. "We can't avoid it."

"Sometimes, we don't understand why things go the way they do. Though we are adults, we learn something every day," Cassie commented.

"Children should cherish every moment of their childhood. They only get one," TJ said solemnly. "Once it's gone, there's no turning back. They will have to face the world on their own someday."

"Andros and Ashley will prepare the twins for the world the best they can," Cassie said matter-of-factly. "The children may have to face many disappointments as they get older. We already have and will likely face more."

"They won't like facing disappointments. That's for sure," TJ commented.

"Nobody likes that, but they are a huge part of life. Instead of letting them get us down, we move forward. There's no point living in the past when we have the future to look forward to. Tomorrow is a brand-new day. We have a chance to make up for the disappointment," Cassie explained.

He sat up tall and proud. "That's right."

He saw a van coming up on his bumper in the rearview mirror. He heard the driver honk her horn. He shook his head before emitting an annoyed scoff.

"Forget it, lady. I'm not going faster in this traffic," he declared.

"That's the second impatient driver we've encountered this afternoon," she said irritatingly as she looked at the van. "We can't help it if the traffic moves slowly." She blew a raspberry.

"I doubt she cares. I don't care if she can't move faster because I'm not about to cause a wreck," TJ said fiercely.

"Good for you," Cassie replied very proudly. "Our parents don't want to hear we were in a wreck on the news."

"No parent wants to hear that about their child," TJ said, pressing his lips together. "Then again, it does happen."

Cassie saw the van's left blinker begin flashing. The driver moved it into an empty space in the next lane. She glared at TJ as she passed. He showed defiance while growling softly.

"Screw you, bitch," TJ yelled.

Cassie laughed. "Good one, Teej."

He gazed at her and saw her hold up her hand. He gave her a high-five and gripped it tightly. He took his hand away to put it back on the wheel. They looked ahead.

"If there is one good thing I can say about traffic jams, they are the perfect place to talk about stuff," Cassie said, a little happiness showing in her voice.

"That they are," TJ agreed. "The most common reason for traffic jams is rubberneckers. They have to slow down and see what's happening on the other side of the interstate." He rolled his eyes.

"No wonder traffic backs up. The gawkers need to see everything that is going on," Cassie grumbled.

TJ nodded in agreement. The song performed its final words and music as it faded out. Phil Collins's _Something Happened On the Way to Heaven_ started to play. He laughed cheerfully and patted his hand on his leg along to the music.

"I love this song. It's got such a great beat," TJ said, a big smile crossing his lips.

"No kidding. Phil Collins is one of the best singers in the world," Cassie replied with a delighted squeak. "He's wonderful at playing guitar and drums." She patted her hands on her knees.

He eyed her. "Phil Collins is good at music, Cassie, but you're better."

"Why, thank you, TJ," Cassie said, happiness radiating from her face. She reached out to pat him on top of his head. "You're such a sweetheart." She returned her hand to her lap. "Yes, you are."

"So are you," TJ replied warmly. "I wonder what our families are doing while waiting for us to come home."

"They're probably discussing the latest movies or sports," Cassie suggested thoughtfully. "They could also be talking about music."

"At least they'd be passing the time like we are," TJ commented.

She clasped her hands together. "Exactly."

TJ reached over to flick Cassie's nose. The traffic speed started to pick up a little bit. He upped his driving speed slightly. He turned the volume up as the song continued.


	84. Any Way It's Wanted

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some TJ/Cassie in it. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-five.

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Chapter 84: Any Way It's Wanted

A northern mockingbird sat on the Chan residence's roof. It shook its entire body. The house was large with three bedrooms and one-and-a-half bathrooms. The backyard was surrounded by a chain-link fence. A patio was in front of the back door. It contained a metal table with four unmatching chairs. A soccer goal stood in the middle of the backyard. A volleyball was in front of it.

The mockingbird spread its wings and flew downward. It landed on the sink windowsill. It looked inside to fifty-year-old Lily pouring coffee into a mug. She filled it to halfway full before putting the kettle back in the coffeemaker. She took a sip and nodded in approval. She resembled Cassie, except she was a little taller and had wavy hair. She had no wrinkles on her face whatsoever.

She looked around the medium-sized kitchen at its light green cabinets, bright green walls, oak table with four unmatching chairs, and white tile floor. She returned her attention to her mug. She took another sip of her coffee. She put it on the counter while letting out a contented sigh.

Just then, fifty-two-year-old Robbie walked into the kitchen. He wasn't as tall as Ashton and Ricky were. Nor was he as muscular as Ricky was. He was somewhat tanned. His black hair was in the style of a crew cut. His eyes were light blue, and the left one had a tiny freckle underneath it. No wrinkles could be seen on his face. He came up behind his wife and touched her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head, and she looked up at him, smiling lightly.

"Always one for kissing me on top of my head, aren't you?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," he responded and ruffled her hair. "Besides, you've told me a million times that it's your favorite place to be kissed."

"You might as well kiss my ass," Lily said, laughing in delight.

"Okay. Pull your pants and underwear down, so I can kiss it," Robbie said, motioning toward her tan pants.

"Nah. I'd rather keep my pants up this time," Lily commented with a shake of her head.

He pouted. "Aw! You're no fun!"

She became defiant. "Put away that pout right now. I'm not changing my mind. No siree." She turned around and shook her head rapidly.

"I'm not putting my pout away, no matter what you say," Robbie said, his pout turning into a smirk.

"You just did," Lily retorted, sticking her tongue out at her husband.

"You better put that away if you know what's good for you," Robbie warned playfully while shaking his finger at her.

Lily pulled her tongue back into her mouth. "Watch out. I just might take your tongue and tie it around your head."

"If you do that, I'll take your tongue and tie it around your head," Robbie said, winking at her.

"I don't mind you doing that at all," Lily said in sweetness.

Robbie patted her cheek. "Great."

He pinched her cheek while speaking baby talk. She grabbed his hand and pulled it off. She placed it at his side. She laughed at his ruffling her hair. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet next to the sink and headed over to the refrigerator. He opened it to get the orange juice. He poured it into his glass until it was nearly full. He put it back in the refrigerator and closed with a loud slam. He took a sip and nodded in approval. He looked toward her, seeing her holding her mug in her hands.

"I hope TJ and Cassie had a nice time on their first date," Robbie said, smiling lightly.

"Me too. TJ is such a kind boy. I think he's perfect for our daughter," Lily replied, sipping more of her coffee.

"I honestly believe that," Robbie commented, suppressing a yawn. "You don't see too many men like TJ these days. The same goes for those who take on fatherhood like Andros." He frowned and sipped a little bit of his orange juice. "I just want to yell at all the men who dumped their women when they learned they were to be fathers."

"Andros is the perfect example of a real man. He accepted that he was to be a young father without hesitation. He was even more determined to be a father when he and Ashley learned they were expecting twins," Lily said, proudness beaming on her face.

"It makes me wonder if he will teach his children telekinesis," Robbie said curiously. "It's rather neat."

"Mm-hmm. I couldn't stop myself from laughing when Cassie told us that Zhane used his telekinesis to tie Tara's shoelaces together and her tripping over her feet when she tried to walk away. Even better was that happened in front of other students," Lily commented, snickering.

"She needed a taste of her own medicine," he said bluntly. "She's the reason the entire school knows about Ashley's pregnancy." He showed disgust. "She has no remorse for the grief she caused Andros and Ashley. Veronica caused even more for them by overhearing Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya talk about the pregnancy and spreading it around her college campus. Then she overheard Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily discussing the twins."

"Bianca bullies people like An-Mei because they are biracial. Talk about being prejudiced," she hissed, anger showing in her voice.

"No shit," Robbie scoffed, his hand curling into a fist so tight that he'd break his glass if he was holding it in that one. He approached her. "An-Mei can't help her parents are of different races. Neither can other biracial people. She is actually proud of being of two different worlds."

The couple sipped more of their drinks. They smacked their lips before clearing their throats. Lily ran her fingers through her hair, straightening it somewhat. She suppressed a yawn.

"An-Mei is a beautiful girl. She looks like both of her parents. Kai and Brittany are so lucky to have her. Their relationship was frowned upon big time in the 1980s. Interracial relationships are more accepted nowadays. Just think of the kids that TJ and Cassie could have. They have such great looks," Lily said eagerly.

"They do, but let's not get too ahead here. This is only their first date," Robbie commented seriously. "We don't know how far their relationship will actually go." He licked his lips.

"That's true," Lily agreed. "If TJ and Cassie's relationship gets to the point of intimacy, I pray to God they will use protection until they feel they are ready for parenthood."

"So do I, but let's not forget nothing is one hundred percent effective at preventing pregnancy, except abstinence. I do like the idea of becoming a grandfather, though," Robbie answered, a smile forming on his face.

"As do I at becoming a grandmother," Lily said, her voice filled with happiness. Suddenly, she grew sad. "It's unfortunate that Ashley's grandparents want nothing to do with her children. It made me sick when TJ told us about the ultimatum they gave her. Cassie's grandparents would never have done that. They would've accepted her baby, though they wouldn't have been thrilled with it being conceived out of wedlock."

Robbie emitted a heavy sigh. "Just because we're supposed to respect our elders doesn't mean they have the right to put us down. It astounds me when people demand respect while they are incapable of respecting others."

"I just want to punch those bastards in their faces for demanding respect while being so disrespectful of others," Lily said, her hand balling into a fist as she growled fiercely.

"Count me in on that," Robbie insisted.

Lily smirked. "I sure will."

He tickled her nose before flicking her chin twice. She giggled and pushed his hand aside. They looked toward the clock, seeing it read five-thirty. They turned back to each other.

"Cassie should be home soon," she whispered thoughtfully. "Of course, she and TJ are likely caught in a traffic jam." She groaned annoyingly. "Rush hour can be such a nightmare, especially in the afternoon."

"No denying that. At least Cassie and her friends are great drivers with the exception of Justin since he can't drive yet. They keep an eye on other drivers and expect the unexpected," he said.

"Yep," Lily agreed. "I can't count the number of times drivers have flipped us off as they passed when we refused to speed up because they were riding our asses."

"I'd like to kick their asses," Robbie said matter-of-factly.

"I'd like to do that too," Lily said with a snort. They started talking about the due date of Andros and Ashley's children.

00000

TJ observed three boys going down the neighborhood sidewalk on roller blades nineteen minutes later. Cassie hummed to herself. He reached the intersection, coming to a stop quickly. They lurched forward somewhat. They fell back against their seats. He looked at her guiltily.

"I'm sorry I caused us to lurch forward," he apologized.

"That's okay," she said as she glanced at him. "I don't mind lurching forward at all." She smiled. "Besides, these seatbelts hold us in place, so we don't strike the dashboard or steering wheel."

"It kills me when people don't wear their seatbelts," TJ grumbled and pushed the blinker up. The right blinker began to flash. "Many don't think they need them on short trips, but they will wear them on long ones."

"The reality is most accidents happen within twenty-five miles from home," Cassie said.

"Exactly," TJ responded. "You won't see me without my seatbelt. No way, Jose."

"Me neither," Cassie said, sitting up tall and proud.

He looked both ways before turning right. The blinker's flashing stopped. She looked out her window to see three girls playing jump rope. He saw them too. They heard them laughing.

"What pretty girls," Cassie whispered warmly.

"Oh, yes," TJ agreed as they looked ahead. "It's likely they will grow up into beautiful women. Of course, they will never become as beautiful as you are."

"Thanks," Cassie answered, eyeing him. "Let's not forget the moral of _Beauty and the Beast._ True beauty comes from within."

He smiled. "Of course not. Everyone in our inner circle has great inner beauty. We like people for who they are, not how they look, how much money they have, or any of that superficial crap." He moved his hands to the bottom of the steering wheel.

"Human brains are hardwired to notice the looks of others. People will befriend good-looking ones who appear nice at first, but they break off the friendships when their true colors emerge," she explained.

"Rest assured that I will teach my children to understand appearances can be deceiving and to look within the heart," he declared.

She winked at him. "I will do the same with my children."

Cassie reached over to pinch TJ on the cheek. He pushed her hand aside and tickled her neck, which made her break into a fit of giggles. He returned his hand to the steering wheel. He saw the Chan residence coming into view. He turned left into the driveway before switching off the engine. They looked at each other.

"I have to say that today was the best of my life," TJ said, happiness radiating from his face. "We got to play on the beach this morning. We took a hungry cat to the animal shelter. We ate lunch at Arby's. Last but not least, we went to the Angel Grove Aquarium this afternoon."

"The best part about today is we got to see Bulk and Skull do a sea lion show," Cassie said gleefully. "They, Cindy, and Jenny were so having so much fun doing sit-ups."

"I admit I felt tempted to go up there and join them," TJ commented honestly.

Cassie nodded in agreement. "I did too. What's even cooler is trained animals will remember behaviors they've learned after not doing them for a long time."

TJ laughed cheerfully. "That reminds me of when we saw Marty perform a flipper wave during the orca show last year. He didn't do it again until six months later. He performed it without hesitation when a trainer gave him the signal."

"It was really cool. Had he done that every single day, he would've gotten bored and started doing something else," Cassie pointed out in gentleness. "Then again, animals do need to be taught behaviors repeatedly in order to get them ingrained into their minds." She shrugged.

"How about you drill a hole in my head and put stuff in my brain?" TJ quipped, a big smile showing on his face.

"I will if you do both to me," Cassie said, putting her hand in his face and waving her fingers in front of it.

"It's a deal," TJ agreed, taking it into his. He tickled the back of it. "Just don't put too much stuff in my brain, and I won't do the same to yours."

She growled playfully and stuck her tongue out at him. He blew a raspberry at her. They pulled their tongues back into their mouths.

"Once again, thank you so much for day," she said sweetly.

"You're welcome," he replied and winked at her. Just then, an idea entered his mind. "How about we go out for lunch at Pizza Hut this Thursday? I'll buy."

"That's a great idea, Teej," Cassie cheered and let out a loud whoop. "Pizza Hut makes the best pizza!"

"Oh, yeah. I'm thinking of getting a pan pepperoni pizza," TJ commented very eagerly.

"I want a pan cheese pizza. I'd like extra cheese with it too," Cassie said, clapping twice.

TJ smirked. "Just watch out. I might rub pepperonis in your face."

Cassie hissed in fierceness. "If you do that, then I will rub cheese in your face."

TJ and Cassie made mean faces and balled their hands into fists. They shook them at each other. They laid them in their laps before smiling widely.

"I look forward to our lunch date. I just need to let my parents know," she said in sweetness.

He nodded at her. "The same goes for my parents."

He reached over to touch her face. She brought her hand up to touch his as they stared deep into each other's eyes. Their heartbeats sped up. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. She kissed him back. She brought her hand to his cheek as she made the kiss passionate. Her tongue entered his mouth, causing him to groan softly. He moved his hand into her hair, gripping it tightly. Their tongues wrestled for control. They broke apart, gasping for air. They pulled back and looked at each other in surprise.

"Wow," Cassie whispered in amazement.

"Yes, wow," TJ answered.

"I should go. I know you're eager to call Andros and tell him everything. After you talk to your family, that is," Cassie said, grabbing her purse from the floor.

"Oh, yeah," TJ answered with a nod.

"I'll call you and tell you about my parents' answer in regards to our second date after dinner," Cassie commented with a small snort.

"That's fine with me," TJ said, giving her a wink. He watched her get out and go toward the front door. He started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. He drove down the street. He had such a big smile on his face that he would stay that way. He couldn't believe they had kissed. He hoped they would share more kisses in the near future.

00000

Robbie and Lily were watching _Terminator 2: Judgement Day_ while sitting on the living room couch. The room was medium-sized with oak end tables, a pine coffee table, and two armchairs. A TV with a VCR embedded into it was across from the couch. The walls were tan, and the floor was covered in tan carpet.

Robbie chewed his gum somewhat loudly. Lily looked toward him as he blew a big bubble in it. She chuckled, as she loved it when he did that. He popped it and used his tongue to pull the gum back into his mouth. He resumed chewing it. He gazed at her.

"You could float away if you blew a really big bubble," she teased.

"If I do that, will you hang onto me?" he asked.

"Sure," Lily responded with eagerness. "Just watch out for trees like everyone always tells George when he swings on ropes, wires, and vines in _George of the Jungle._ "

"George, watch out for that tree!" Robbie yelled in Ursula's voice.

Lily ruffled her husband's hair and received a laugh from him. He pinched her cheek. The unlocking of the front door caused him to let go of her. They looked toward it to see it open. Cassie walked in, closing it behind her.

"Hey, Mom, Dad," Cassie greeted.

"Hey yourself, honey," Robbie answered, standing up along with his wife.

Lily became quite eager. "So, how did your first date with TJ go?"

Cassie stopped before her parents, a big smile showing on her face. "It went very well. We had loads of fun."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Robbie said, kissing his daughter's cheek. He pulled back to look at her. "Our baby girl had fun with a boy she likes."

"By the way, we already have a second date planned," Cassie said with much happiness. "We'd like to have lunch this Thursday at Pizza Hut. I hope that's okay with you."

"Of course, honey," Lily said and tried to suppress a yawn, but she couldn't help herself. "We don't mind that at all."

Robbie held up a finger. "Besides, you two need all the alone time you can get. School is starting back next week, and you'll be busy with schoolwork again." He groaned in annoyance. "Your mother and I have to return to work tomorrow."

"I wish I didn't have to return to school next week, but I have to," Cassie muttered regretfully. "Moreover, I want to get the rest of my senior year over with and graduate."

"So do your friends. Anyway, why don't we go into the kitchen and hear the details of your date?" Robbie suggested.

"I'm sure you have lots to share," Lily added.

"Okay," Cassie said, nodding as she giggled to herself. "Let me put my purse up first."

Cassie went upstairs while singing nonsense. She returned a minute later. She and her parents headed for the kitchen.


	85. Going Round and Round

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I am returning to Andros and Ashley in the next chapter. I am aching to show intimacy between them once again. After their stay at the cabin ends, there will be a time jump that will include the first appearance of the teen parent support group and the second ultrasound. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-six.

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Chapter 85: Going Round and Round

A blue jay sat on a branch near the bottom of a tree in the Johnson residence's front yard eight minutes later. It spread its wings and flew to the living room window. It landed on the windowsill. It looked inside to see Ricky and Karone playing _Primal Rage_ while they sat on the couch.

Ricky and Karone became determined. He was Sauron while she was Armadon. They were in the fifth round tied at two wins apiece. He delivered a lunge bite, followed by a tail whip to the face and a Cranium Crusher. He did an Earthquake Stomp as she got up. He laughed delightfully and moved his eyebrows up and down.

"You're finished, Karone!" Ricky blurted out.

"That's what you think, Mr. Johnson," Karone warned. She performed a Spinning Death, followed by a Mega Charge. She delivered a series of horn jabs until his health bar was completely depleted. She did the Gut Fling. She smiled as Armadon ripped open Sauron's back and spilled his guts everywhere. "Yeah. Armadon beats Sauron once again!"

He leaned over to turn off the game. "Nice job at having Armadon defeat Sauron, Karone."

"Thanks. Armadon is so neat. He has the easiest combos, but he has a short reach," Karone said and punched at the air while bellowing in a loud manner. "He can fire spikes from his tail to stop enemies from getting near him. Just a few hits can reduce the brain meter to nothing."

"Sauron is the biggest character. He can dish the most damage, but he is also the slowest," Ricky commented as they laid the controllers on the coffee table.

She chuckled. "If there is one thing that Sauron can do that the others can't, it's he can send his opponents flying toward him with an Earthquake Stomp to dish out lots of damage."

"There are so many ways to defeat your opponent in this game. The combos are the best way," he replied.

"You can do up to fifty hits with Blizzard's Punching Bag. That is if you are playing with two players," she pointed out.

"That's a lot of hits," Ricky whispered in awe. "It's too bad Vertigo is the only female character in the game. It would be cool to see her and another female character duke it out."

"Perhaps. Her long neck and tail are really cool. It allows her to perform long-range attacks," Karone said, holding up a finger.

"All of her moves are quite damaging, especially her Scorpion Sting," Ricky said, moving his hand in the air above him. "Just a few hits from that move can reduce the opponent's health bar to nothing." He placed it in his lap.

"Yep," Karone said while nodding slowly.

"Just remember who wears the pants in this family," Ricky said, gazing at her with a smirk.

"I believe that'd be TJ, Andros, and me," Karone responded, breaking into a fit of giggles. She stopped when she ran out of breath. "We rule this house big time!" She pumped her fist.

Ricky rolled his eyes. "Sure, you do."

She gave a him a punch to his shoulder. She smiled at his giving one to hers. They blew raspberries at each other. They shared a laugh while slapping each other's backs.

"I'm going into the kitchen for a diet sprite," Karone said as she jerked her thumb in the direction of the kitchen. "Would you like me to get you one?"

"Sure," Ricky said, nodding. "Thanks."

Karone winked at him. "No problem."

Karone stood up and went into the kitchen. She approached the refrigerator and opened it. She grabbed two diet sprites. She returned to the living room to seat herself in her spot. Ricky put the Sega Genesis on top of the TV. He walked back to his seat and sat down. She gave him the first sprite while keeping the second. They opened them and took small sips. They nodded in approval.

"Diet soda does taste good, even if it isn't very good for us," he said as they placed the sprites on the coffee table.

"It's crazy that some people drink sodas in excess. Don't they realize they will get fat from all those calories?" she mumbled irritatingly.

"They know. They just don't care. People who guzzle down sodas without gaining any weight have a high metabolism. Their luck will run out eventually as high metabolism doesn't last forever," Ricky pointed out.

"No, it doesn't. Our bodies go through changes as each decade of our lives passes," Karone commented, cupping her chin in her hand.

"Seeing young people with faint wrinkles on their faces from consuming so much soda reminds me of those who spent much of their lives in the sun," Ricky said, letting out a heavy sigh. "That was common back in the old days. We didn't even know being out in the sun too much could cause skin cancer. Most sun-soaked people who are my age have bad-looking skin. That is if they have light skin. Dark skin protects people from the sun's harmful rays. It also slows down aging significantly."

Karone became a little nervous. "I don't want to look like an old leather bag by the time I am forty."

Ricky gave her a look of encouragement. "You won't as long as you don't spend too much time in the sun. Everyone knows you should put on sunscreen. We didn't have that back in my day."

"Some people act like the old days were so wonderful," Karone grumbled angrily. "They don't realize how bad the old days were for many."

"Oh, you're not kidding. Child abuse ran rampant in families. Back then, beating your child was seen as discipline. I'm all for a smack to the butt as a last resort. There is no need to beat a child with a belt for something so insignificant such as accidentally spilling milk on the floor," Ricky said, a loud hiss escaping his mouth.

"A person who beats a child over the littlest things is really messed up in the head," Karone said seriously.

He nodded in agreement. "Yep."

She shrugged with a heavy sigh. They looked toward the window to see an American robin fly by. They turned back to each other.

"I have little doubt that Andros and Ashley are enjoying their time at her aunt's cabin. I say they are doing lots of making out," Karone said and made kissing sounds.

"I say they are being sexually intimate too," Ricky replied, straightening his posture somewhat. "They might as well enjoy it because there won't be any sex for a while after the babies are born."

"Don't worry. Zhane and I plan to use both birth control and condoms when we become sexually active," Karone said honestly. "I hope the same for TJ and Cassie. That is if their relationship gets that far." She laughed to herself.

"I admit I've always wanted to become a grandfather. In a way, I will be one to Andros and Ashley's twins," Ricky commented.

"Mrs. Johnson will be a grandmother to them," Karone added.

"Exactly," Ricky said, giving a sharp nod. "I plan on spoiling those kids some." He showed great pride.

"So will I," Karone said, sitting tall and proud. "I bet you and Mrs. Johnson will spoil them more than Ashley's parents and I will."

"That's what you think," Ricky retorted playfully. "In fact, why don't I spoil you, Andros, and TJ some more after giving you three many Christmas gifts?"

"No, thanks. I'm not in the mood to be spoiled," Karone said while shaking her head.

"Aw! Why did you have to ruin my fun?" Ricky whined and faked crying.

"Turn off the fountain," Karone said defiantly. "You're not changing my mind. No siree." She nodded sharply.

"I bet you'll change your mind later on," Ricky said, winking at her.

"Dream on. It isn't happening," Karone said with a playful growl.

Ricky patted the young woman's cheek. She slapped him upside the head. They looked toward the window. They saw TJ's truck coming into the driveway. They turned to each other, becoming excited.

"Mr. Johnson, your son is home!" she yelled cheerfully.

"Yes!" he responded and looked toward the stairs. "Diane, TJ is home!"

"I'm coming, dear!" Diane called.

Ricky and Karone rose to their feet They walked to the front door. She unlocked it and opened it. They went into the doorway. TJ exited his truck and made his way toward them. She high-fived him once he got to them.

"It's great that you're home, Teej," Karone greeted.

"It's great to be home, Karone," TJ answered and knocked on her head. He looked at his father after he stopped. "Hello, Dad."

"Hello yourself, son," Ricky said, pinching the young man's cheek. TJ swatted his hand aside. "How was your first date with Cassie?" He smiled.

"It went very well. We had great fun," TJ said, happiness radiating from his face. "Unfortunately, traffic was a nightmare on the way back."

Karone showed sympathy. "I'm sorry you had to put up with that. Then again, what can you do? You can't make the traffic go faster."

"If there is one thing I hate about traffic jams, it's the rubberneckers. They always have to slow down, so they can see what it's happening on the other side of the interstate," Ricky grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"I'd love to yell at those idiots to stop rubbernecking," TJ said seriously.

Ricky shrugged. "Who wouldn't? It's best that you don't, though. They could pull out guns and shoot you."

"People will shoot others for no reason at all," Karone mumbled in some anger. "That rarely happens on KO-35."

"That's because your planet's civilians don't shoot anyone unless it's in self-defense," TJ pointed out honestly. "Most importantly, kids need to learn how to handle guns safely."

"Of course," Ricky agreed.

"Yep," TJ said as he walked inside. He stopped next to the coffee table. He turned around and saw Ricky closing the door. "At least there wasn't any sign of an accident."

Footsteps caught the trio's attention. They looked up and saw Diane coming down the stairs. She walked up to TJ, receiving a smile from him. She smiled back.

"I'm so glad you are home, son," Diane said, hugging him tightly. She got a bigger hug from him.

"I'm glad to be home, though I enjoyed my first date with Cassie, Mom," TJ responded. They released their hold on each other. They pulled back. "You're looking good."

"Well, I took a shower an hour ago," Diane said with a wink. She patted his cheek lightly. "Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed your first date with Cassie."

TJ took a deep breath. "We already have a second date planned. We want to have lunch at Pizza Hut on Thursday. Is that okay?"

"Why, of course, son. Besides, you need all the time together because school starts back next week. That means lots of homework," Ricky said, joining his son's side along with Karone.

Karone clasped her hands together. "If you want to know what we did all day, we just hung around."

"Karone and I finished a game of _Primal Rage_ before you arrived," Ricky said. motioning toward Karone and himself. "It was fun to play."

"I beat your father fair and square," Karone said, a big smirk showing on her face.

"Watch it, Karone," Ricky warned, gazing at her. "Getting cocky doesn't do anyone any favors." He shook his finger at her.

"I know, sir," Karone said as she turned toward him. "Maybe I should you let you win the next game." She winked at him.

"You two can save that game for later," Diane said, holding up her hands. She put them at her side. "Let's head into the kitchen. We need to hear everything that happened on TJ and Cassie's date." She smiled at the others voicing their agreement. "Wonderful."

"I'm going to take my jacket upstairs," TJ said as he took off his jacket. "I'm not leaving it down here."

TJ headed upstairs while singing a scat. He returned to the group two minutes later. He, Ricky, Diane, and Karone walked into the kitchen.


	86. Another Round in the Bathtub

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter features lots of Andros/Ashley. There is also sexual content. Like before, don't read if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-seven.

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Chapter 86: Another Round in the Bathtub

The midevening moon beamed its light on the cabin. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind, their leaves rustling loudly. Andros ran a soapy washrag up Ashley's back as they sat in the bathtub. He moved it downward. She looked up, sighing in content. She tried to suppress a yawn, but she couldn't help herself. She folded her hands and laid them in her lap.

The lovebirds hummed to themselves. They were glad to know that TJ and Cassie's date went well when he called them while they were in the middle of fixing hamburgers for dinner. Moreover, it thrilled them the couple had already planned their second date. They thought it was good their friends did that since school was starting back next week. They weren't looking forward to that, but at least they knew graduation was less than five months away now.

Andros ran the washrag up his girlfriend's back once more. He moved it downward once he completed that. He ducked it in the water. He splashed her back as he slid it upward. That washed off the soap. She glanced over her shoulder at him. She brought her hand up to touch his cheek.

"You are so good at washing me," she whispered.

"Thank you," he answered while moving the washrag over her upper back. "You're just as good at washing me. Just don't put honey in the washrag and run it over my back." He snickered.

She growled playfully. "I'll put honey in the washrag if I want to. You'd smell nice because of that."

"So would you," Andros commented, pinching her cheek. "I'll make you a deal. If you put honey in the washrag and run it over my back, then I will do both for you."

"It's a deal," Ashley said, offering her hand to which he shook it. They let go of each other. "Be prepared for the bees to fly to us when we go outside." She smirked.

He huffed. "Ha! Bees don't scare me! In fact, I will dress up like a bee and join them in their hive. After I find a genie to shrink me, that is."

"You better let me use that genie to shrink myself to the size of a bee," Ashley said, curling her hand into a fist.

"Oh, I will," Andros replied, moving his eyebrows up and down. "Moreover, I will use it to make you queen of the hive."

"I'd love that," Ashley squeaked gleefully. "Let's not forget that genies grant people only three wishes."

"It's so funny when Genie tells Aladdin not to use any of his three wishes to wish for more in _Aladdin,_ " Andros said, kissing her cheek.

"Ix-nay on the wishing for more wishes," Ashley said in Genie's voice.

"Nice imitation of Genie there," Andros complimented and laid the washrag aside.

Ashley looked quite proud. "Thanks. How about using that genie to turn our house into a palace?" She giggled.

"No, thank you," Andros said, shaking his head. "Besides, it'd difficult to choose which room to claim as mine."

"I can help you with that," Ashley said, seduction lining her voice. "That is if you know what I mean."

Andros nodded. "Oh, I know what you mean."

Ashley winked at her boyfriend, who responded in kind. She giggled as he tickled her neck. They shared three kisses.

"So, how about I cook everyone dinner on my first night living in your house after I move in?" Andros asked as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend.

"That would be so wonderful," Ashley whispered happily. "My parents will think that is wonderful too."

Andros hugged her. "Great. The best part about living in your house is I won't have to worry about having to be home by curfew if we are the only ones there."

"Yep. Let's not forget our curfew will still apply when we go out of the house," she pointed out.

"That's true," he said, nodding. "What's good is our curfew goes an hour later on the weekends."

Ashley smiled. "Other than that one time, I've gotten home by curfew every time I've gone out."

"What possessed you and Cassie to stay out past curfew?" Andros wondered.

"I guess we wanted to see what it was like to be bad girls," Ashley said, giggling to herself. "There is a first time for everything."

"At least you didn't get hurt," Andros said in relief. "After all, girls tend to get into more dangerous situations than boys do."

She shrugged with a chuckle. He wrapped his arms around her a little more tightly. He kissed her cheek three times. He rocked her back and forth.

"It's nice to know that Cassie will give college a try before embarking on a singing career," Ashley said, warmth echoing from her voice.

"Many people think college is one big party," Andros grumbled and huffed annoyingly. "It's not. It's a serious step in life."

"No denying that," Ashley agreed. "We were serious about going to college until we learned we were having twins." She moved her hand down to her stomach. "After that, it didn't matter to us when we went."

"Something tells me Billy will start attending Angel Grove University next fall," Andros commented.

"I second that," Ashley said, clearing her throat. "He looked so happy to be home." She sighed contently. "So did Ernie."

"Tommy told us Ernie gave him and the other former Rangers food and drink on the house. He believed Ernie knew they were Rangers all along and was showing his gratitude," Andros murmured in great awe.

"Most likely," she said. "Adelle also gave us food and drink on the house. Do you think she knew we were Power Rangers all along and was showing her gratitude?"

"Beats me," he admitted. "It doesn't matter now. What matters is the world knows the identities of all Rangers." He smiled. "It is grateful to them for protecting the universe from evil."

"Mom and Dad took me to the park for Power Rangers Day. We laughed so hard at Bulk and Skull making fools of themselves on stage. So did Carlos and his parents. That is until we disappeared with the rest of the audience," Ashley commented.

"You, Carlos, and your parents were at the park on Power Rangers Day?" Andros yelled in great surprise.

"Oh, yes," Ashley said honestly. "We didn't remember anything when we came back. It didn't matter, though. The Rangers came through the crowd not long after. It was so cool seeing them. Mayor Carrington told Bulk and Skull to get off the stage and allow the Rangers to come up there. I didn't know Tommy was in the crowd until he told TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and me just after we became Turbo Rangers."

"Talk about incredible," Andros said in much amazement.

"I know," Ashley agreed. "It was a great moment in my and Carlos's lives. We had always wanted to see the Rangers in person."

He kissed her temple and stopped rocking her. He slid his hands to her shoulders to give them gentle squeezes.

"Once again, I'm glad we're here. We have four days of not worrying about adults getting on our cases for saying curse words," he said in relief.

"Once the children start talking, we'll have to be careful not to curse around them," she muttered in seriousness.

"That's true, but we won't always be able to stop ourselves from cursing," Andros commented. "That is especially true if we do it in a fit of frustration."

She let out a sharp exhale. "Imagine if real life was like a TV show. We'd be bleep every time we cursed."

He ran his fingers through her hair. "If a person stubbed their toe in such a world, they'd say every curse word in the book and get bleeped multiple times."

"Thank God that real life is not like a TV show. We can say curse words without fear of being bleeped," Ashley said in some happiness.

"I can always use your buzzer from _Taboo_ to make someone stop cursing," Andros pointed out.

"Slip into your pajamas because you're dreaming if you think I will let you use that thing around the house," Ashley warned.

Andros snickered. "I know your dreams have gotten quite steamy since we made love for the first time and conceived our babies."

Ashley winked at Andros before making a kissing sound. She laughed when he pinched her cheek. He let go of her. She looked ahead, touching her neck with both hands.

"I look forward to giving the twins their first baths," Ashley said eagerly.

"I do too," Andros answered with just as much eagerness. "We'll handle one baby each." He smiled.

"We won't be able to have the windows open in the nursery because babies can't handle drafts very well. They can make them cold," Ashley said regretfully.

"Maybe we can't have the windows open when the babies are there, but we can after they are taken out," Andros said, smiling.

"That will help air the nursery out," Ashley said, laughing warmly. She looked over her shoulder. "Anyway, I want to do this."

Ashley turned around and climbed into Andros's lap. She got her knees on either side of him. She kissed him hard, grabbing at his hair. She pushed her tongue into his mouth. He let out a loud groan, sliding his hands into her hair. He gripped it so tightly that he appeared he was about to yank it out. Their heartbeats sped up, and electricity coursed through their bodies so fast that it wasn't about to stop.

He broke the kiss and made his way to her neck. He kissed at it hungrily while growling softly. He blew on it before giving it a long lick. He kissed it again. He slid his hands all over her body. He moved them to her breasts. He fondled them slowly but surely. He increased his pace while teasing her nipples with his thumbs. He gave them hard pinches. She emitted a loud wince. She became louder when he pinched them hard again. Her body tensed up, and she was unable to keep a gasping moan from leaving her mouth.

He trailed kisses down to her chest. He teased her right breast with his tongue. He blew on it before licking at it. She screamed pleasurably while leaning her head back. Her back arched as he ran his hands up and down her sides. He nibbled on her nipple with great gentleness. He turned toward the left breast. He gave it the same amount of attention. She whimpered, her back arching again. Fire started to build within them.

He returned to her neck to smother it with hungry kisses. She tilted her head to the side to give him better access. She winced painfully when he gave it a hard bite. She sighed in relief at the pain fading quickly. She suspected a mark would be there in the morning, but she didn't care. She was so happy to be with him that she wanted him to leave marks all over her body.

Ashley tapped Andros's head, and he pulled back to look at her. She kissed him possessively. She plunged her tongue into his mouth. She traced every inch of it. She smiled into it when he groaned loudly. She kissed his jawline before going down to his neck. She smothered the latter with hungry kisses. She blew on it as she ran her hands all over his body. He sighed in ecstasy, and his hands went into her hair. He looked about ready to rip it out.

"Oh, Ashley. That feels so good," Andros whispered pleasurably. He whimpered at her nibbling on his neck. "Oh, God. Oh!"

Ashley giggled. "Let every bit of it out, Andros. I'm far from done with you."

Ashley climbed out of her boyfriend's lap as she kissed down to his chest. She ran her tongue up and down the spot over his heart. He let out a soft yet ecstatic moan. She gazed at his right nipple. She blew on it before running her tongue over it. He growled with great huskiness. His back arched, and his hands grabbed the sides of the bathtub. She shifted her attention to the left nipple. She gave it the same amount of attention. He squeezed his eyes shut, his grip increasing on the bathtub somewhat.

She looked down at his erect cock and turned to him. She saw him open his eyes. She grabbed it and started to stroke it gently. She twisted her hands around it. She upped her pace. She began pumping him. He stared at her with such intensity that he thought was about to lose it. However, he wasn't going to do that.

He growled huskily again. He desired to be inside her right now. He took her head and pulled it upward for a hard kiss. He took her hands to guide her back into his lap. She got her knees on either side of him again. He grabbed her hips and positioned her to where she was aligned with his cock. He thrusted upward into her, and they moaned at the same time. This would never grow old for them. They never wanted it to do that.

He started thrusting upward into her. She moved up and down on him. She slipped her arms around his neck while pressing a possessive kiss to his lips. She coaxed his lips to open with her tongue and entered his mouth. It touched his, and he let out a soft moan. He tightened his grip on her hips. She kissed his jaw before nibbling on it. She sucked on it hard. He moaned so loudly that he sent an echo through the bathroom.

She slid her hands down to his chest. She teased his nipples with her thumbs. He moaned in a soft yet excited manner. She kissed his neck hungrily. She moved her hands over his body, tracing every muscle that lined his back, chest, stomach, and arms. He emitted an intense growl, his hands grabbing at her head. The fire within him had built to such a strong point that he felt he'd lose it any second. He had little doubt she was the same way.

Andros and Ashley kissed fiercely. Their tongues fought for control as loud groans left their mouths. He upped the speed and intensity of his thrusts. The fire within them was reaching its peak. She laid her hands on his neck. They broke the kiss to stare deep into each other's eyes.

"Andros, I'm about to—," she whispered.

He hissed. "I am too, Ash."

Andros and Ashley kissed long and hard. He grabbed her hips and squeezed them hard. He thrusted even faster and harder into her. Their climax was nearly there. He kissed her neck hungrily, causing her to lean her head back. She slid her hands into his hair, gripping it in a tight manner.

Andros finally released himself into Ashley. She echoed her release to him with no time in between. Their bodies trembled as their arms went around each other. They returned to reality. Their heartbeats slowed down to a normal pace. They gazed into each other's eyes. She brought her hand up to stroke his cheek.

"Now, that was amazing," she said.

He smiled. "No shit, Sherlock."

The lovebirds kissed tenderly and pressed their foreheads together. Their breathing was in sync with each other.

"We've made love in the shower twice, but this is the first time we've done that in the bathtub," Ashley said in sweetness.

"It felt great to do it here," Andros whispered, sighing in content.

"It's funny to hear couples say they can't take baths together because their tubs are too small," Ashley grumbled, rolling her eyes. "The reality is many of them try to sit across from each other in their tubs. That's what makes them seem too small. One part of couple should step into the tub first, followed by the other getting in front. Then it won't be too small."

"That's how we did it," Andros said, proudness radiating from his face. "It is wonderful to be in this one with you. I look forward to taking many baths with you at your house." He kissed her nose. 

"I can't wait," Ashley said, eagerness showing in her voice. "Until then, we can enjoy having baths together in this cabin for a few more days."

"I love that," Andros whispered, moving his hands down to her hips. "I also love doing this."

He kissed her passionately as he began thrusting upward into her. She moved up and down on him. His cock grew hard. She wrapped her arms around his neck as their tongues touched, which made them groan ecstatically. He kissed down to her neck. He smothered it with hungry kisses, and she leaned her head back.

"Don't stop, Andros," Ashley pleaded. "Please."

"I won't, Ashley," Andros answered seductively. "I won't."

Andros upped his pace, his grip on his girlfriend's hips tightening somewhat. He pulled back to kiss her with much passion. He plunged his tongue into her mouth. He traced every inch of it, making her groan. The world faded around them as they lost themselves in another round of lovemaking.


	87. Ready for Bed and Unable to Sleep

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. Angel Grove High School will be returning very soon. That means the troublemakers who have caused havoc in the lives of the former Astro Rangers and Karone will return. I'm sure you are looking forward to Ashley's next ultrasound. I don't know if Johnny will be making any more appearances, though he will continued to be mentioned. I created him because I felt Andros could use a rival who wants to date Ashley based on her looks and not her character. I honestly believe it makes things more realistic. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-eight.

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Chapter 87: Ready for Bed/Unable to Sleep

Heavy rain fell on the cabin two hours later. Lightning flashed, followed by a loud thunderclap. Ashley was brushing her hair in the upstairs bathroom. She finished that and laid the brush next to the sink. She saw lightning light up the hallway in the mirror. A loud thunderclap came right after that. A quieter one followed suit.

She ran her fingers through her hair three times. She pushed her bangs out of her face. She appeared satisfied with her work. She listened to the heavy rain splatter against the outside of the cabin. She watched the lightning light up the hallway in the mirror again. A loud thunderclap sounded right after. A slightly quieter one came a second later.

Without warning, she felt queasiness rise in her stomach. She covered her mouth with her hand and raced to the toilet. She bent over and threw up some of what she ate for dinner as she grabbed the edges of the seat. She squeezed her eyes shut while shuddering badly. She opened them before throwing up a little more.

She panted heavily, managing to catch her breath. She tried to rise to her full height. Unfortunately, she found she was unable to and threw up the rest of her stomach contents. She breathed hard while touching the top of her head. She caught her breath before flushing the toilet. She stood up slowly. She walked to the sink, her body shaking somewhat. Just then, Andros came to her side.

"You okay, Ash? I heard you throwing up as I set your glass of water on your nightstand," he asked in concern.

"I'm fine, Andros," she answered, swallowing hard. She turned on the water. She gathered some in her hand and put it in her mouth. She swished it around. She spit it out. She switched it off. "This sudden onset of morning sickness reminds me of the first time it happened. I had just finished doing my hair when it hit suddenly and forced me to run for the toilet."

Andros ran his hand over her hair. "Talk about scary."

Ashley tensed. "No shit. I thought I had caught the stomach flu, but I started to realize it wasn't that. All the stuff that had happened the day before was connected to the vomiting. I suspected I was pregnant." She sniffled softly. "It turned out to be true."

"You can thank your lucky stars it wasn't a condition that mimicked pregnancy. Ovarian cancer is said to have many of the same symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, fatigue, weird food cravings, etc.," Andros pointed out.

"Some women experience all the symptoms of pregnancy, but they are not pregnant. Nor do they have any conditions that mimic pregnancy. This is called pseudocyesis or false pregnancy," Ashley said, snorting loudly.

"I've read that condition is psychological. Women may actually delude themselves into thinking they really are pregnant when everyone can see they are not," Andros said, touching her shoulder.

"There is a type of abnormal pregnancy called molar pregnancy. It's a condition where a non-viable fertilized egg implants in the uterus and will fail to come to term. It grows into a mass in the uterus that has swollen chorionic villi. These villi grow in clusters that resemble grapes. The products of conception may or may not contain fetal tissue. Molar pregnancies are categorized as partial moles or complete moles," Ashley explained.

"That sounds a little creepy," Andros mumbled somewhat nervously.

"It does. A complete mole is caused by a single or two sperm combining with an egg that has lost its DNA. The genotype is typically 46, XX (diploid) due to subsequent mitosis of the fertilizing sperm. It can also be 46, XY (diploid), but 46, YY (diploid) has never been observed. In contrast, a partial mole occurs when a haploid egg is fertilized by two sperm or by one sperm, which reduplicates itself. It yields the genotypes of 69, XXY (triploid) or 92, XXXY (tetraploid). The embryo has severe birth defects and can't survive. A rare cancer called choriocarcinoma is known to rise from molar pregnancies," Ashley commented.

He shuddered in fear. "Cancer isn't something to fuck with. Some types are so rare that they are difficult to treat."

"Most cancers have many different forms. Ovarian cancer has thirty-two different forms," Ashley said, running her hand over her face.

"I have little doubt some cancers have even more forms than ovarian cancer does," Andros said honestly.

She took a deep breath. "Ditto."

He planted a kiss to her temple before touching her shoulder. He gave it a gentle rub.

"Cancer is well known to be a horrible disease. It does have an excellent chance of being cured if it's caught in the early stages," Andros said honestly. "Chemotherapy and radiation help cancer patients greatly, despite side effects such as losing hair and vomiting."

"Unfortunately, some people will fake cancer and beg for money to treat it," Ashley hissed angrily. "People donate thousands of dollars for the patients' treatments. They don't realize they are being scammed. The fakers use the money to make expensive purchases or gamble." She showed great disgust.

"Some people claim an alternative medical treatment cured them of their cancer. The thing is they never had it in the first place. Desperate patients are willing to try anything to treat their cancer. They shell out thousands of dollars for the 'cure," but the treatment does nothing to help them. Some actually die," Andros mumbled, shuddering badly.

"What greedy bastards," Ashley said, rolling her eyes.

"That's right," he said, nodding sharply. "I'm all for herbal remedies, but conventional medicine has its benefits." He gestured toward the area where the gallbladder was. "Gallstones are an example of a condition that can be helped only by conventional medicine. The removal of the gallbladder is the most common treatment. For people who can't have surgery, shock treatment to break the gallstones into smaller pieces may be used."

"Wow," she whispered in awe. "Gallstones are so painful that they can make you feel as if you are having chest pains. There was a segment on an episode of _Rescue 911_ where a mother started having terrible pains she believed were coming from her chest. She had just given birth to her second daughter three weeks earlier. Her five-year-old daughter called for help. The mother was taken to the hospital, where it turned out her gallstones in her gallbladder were causing the pains. They were removed, and she was fine after that."

"There was a segment where a five-year-old girl called 911 to report her pregnant mother was unconscious on the floor and bleeding badly. The mother had suffered placental abruption. That can be fatal if not treated quickly. She was taken to the hospital. Her life was saved. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl after that," Andros explained.

"That show has many great episodes," Ashley said with great pride.

"So true. I wished it wasn't cancelled in 1996," Andros mumbled sadly. "I bet the 2000s would have great stories for the show to air." He shrugged.

"Mm-hmm," Ashley agreed. "Not all segments had happy endings. One segment with a sad ending focused on a fifteen-year-old boy who inhaled butane. He collapsed on his front lawn and was taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, the damage to his brain was irreversible. He died later on."

"Talk about sad. It reminds people of the dangers of sniffing inhalants," Andros commented seriously.

"Yeah," Ashley said, emitting a soft sniffle. "What do you say we go watch TV in our room?"

"Okay," Andros said with a slow nod. "I hope the electricity doesn't go out."

"I don't either, but at least corded phones work during a power outage. Cordless phones have to be charged in order to work. When the power goes out, so do their chargers," Ashley pointed out.

"I know," Andros said, kissing her temple. "Come on."

Andros and Ashley left the bathroom and headed for their room. They entered it and went for their respective sides of the bed. They got in with light grunts. He grabbed the remote from his nightstand to turn on the TV. He flipped through the channels until he stopped on one playing _The Terminator._ He set it beside him on the bed.

"It's astounding how a low budget film like _The Terminator_ became a cult classic. It looks like nothing more than a B-movie at first glance," she said honestly.

"It does, but it actually has a great plot, great characters, excellent acting, and nice pacing," he said.

"I learned that Arnold Schwanzennager purposely avoided Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton during filming, so he could get into his character," Ashley said in amazement. "The Terminator isn't supposed to form connections of any kind." She giggled.

"Arnold has only eighteen lines in the film. The rest of his scenes rely on his body language and movements," Andros whispered thoughtfully.

Ashley laid her head on his shoulder. "If a Terminator comes to hurt me, you'll protect me, won't you?"

Andros put his arm around her. "Of course, I will."

Andros planted a kiss to Ashley's forehead. He gave her a gentle hug before rubbing her arm. The scene where the Terminator searched for Sara in Tech Noir came on.

00000

Rain was still falling on the cabin by early morning, though it wasn't heavy anymore. Andros slept on his side. The covers covered him from the chest down. He buried his face deep into his pillow. He reached over to put his arm around Ashley, only to be met with air. He woke up to find her gone. He touched her spot, finding it was quite warm.

He pushed himself into a sitting position and let out a long yawn. The covers fell from his chest. He rubbed his eyes while suppressing another yawn. He wondered where she was. He looked around the room, finding her standing at the window. He got out of bed and came to her side. He touched her shoulder, and she looked at him.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey yourself. Are you okay?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep. I thought I'd stand by the window for a while," Ashley answered, groaning irritatingly. "I hate it when that happens."

"Who doesn't?" Andros said with a shrug. "You'll be having an even harder time sleeping as you progress further into your pregnancy because you'll be peeing a lot more often and dealing with the babies moving."

"The constant peeing will due to the babies pressing on my bladder," Ashley grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Then again, what can I do? I can't force them to not press on my bladder." She sighed heavily.

"No, you can't," Andros agreed.

"Something tells me some of the pregnant teen girls we meet in the support group will have bad acne. Pregnancy hormones often cause that. Higher levels of hormones called androgens are known to be responsible for pregnancy breakouts. It's because they can prompt the sebaceous glands in the skin to get bigger and boost production of an oily substance called sebum. This extra sebum, combined with the shed skin cells that line the hair follicles and blocks the pores, creates an environment in which bacteria can rapidly multiply. All this can eventually lead to the inflammation and skin eruptions of acne. Acne during pregnancy can be mild, moderate, or even severe, and it can occur at any time during the pregnancy. It may come and go, or it may last the entire pregnancy," Ashley explained.

Andros touched her cheek. "You've been lucky to have not had any acne so far. Maybe you won't get any."

Ashley looked uncertain. "I hope not, but you never know, right?"

"Right. No matter how much your face looks like a pizza, you will still be my beautiful mother-to-be," Andros assured gently.

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Ashley replied sweetly.

He smiled. "No problem."

He kissed her temple and went behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. He touched her stomach with both hands. She placed hers over them, sighing contently.

"It's going to be so much fun feeling the twins move," Andros said excitedly.

"Oh, yes. Active babies mean healthy babies," Ashley said, a giggle leaving her mouth.

"That's true, but unborn babies do have to rest," Andros pointed out.

"I've got an idea. Why don't we put headphones on my stomach and play soft music to sooth the babies to sleep if they are really active at night?" Ashley suggested. "Mom said that helped me go to sleep when my constant moving kept her awake."

"I say that's a great idea," Andros said with much happiness. "How about New Age music with the sounds of oceanic waves and animals?"

"That'd be wonderful," Ashley squeaked delightfully.

Andros planted a kiss to his girlfriend's temple. He brought his hands to her shoulders and began to rub them in a gentle manner.

"Headphones looked very different when they were first used. In fact, they originated from the earpiece and were the only way to listen to electrical audio signals before amplifiers were developed," Ashley commented.

"That sounds interesting," Andros said in awe.

"You bet it is. Nathaniel Baldwin developed the first truly successful headphone set in 1910. He made them by hand in his kitchen and sold them to the United States Navy. Some very sensitive headphones were commonly used for early radio work. These early headphones used moving iron drivers. They either had single ended or balanced armatures. The requirement for high sensitivity meant that no damping was used. This made the sound quality bad. The early models had little to no padding. They often produced excessive clamping forces on the wearer's head," Ashley said, clearing her throat.

"Ouch," Andros groaned and cringed quite a bit.

Ashley chuckled. "Yes, ouch. In early powered radios, the headphone was part of the vacuum tube's plate circuit. It carried dangerous voltages. It was normally connected directly to the positive high voltage battery terminal. The other battery terminal was securely grounded. The use of bare electrical connections could shock users if they touched the bare headphone connections while adjusting an uncomfortable headset."

"Another ouch," Andros said, shuddering somewhat.

"Mm-hmm. In 1958, John C. Koss produced the first stereo headphones. He was an audiophile and jazz musician from Milwaukee. Previously, only telephone and radio operators used headphones. The 3.5 mm radio and phone connector has been used since 1964. It became very popular with its application on the Walkman in 1979," Ashley answered.

"It's nice to hear about the history of various Earth devices," Andros said, giving her shoulders light pats. "I still think about the history of the ultrasound you told me about after you heard about it from your mom." He smiled.

"I can't believe the next ultrasound is less than three weeks away," Ashley whispered excitedly. "We'll get to hear the babies' heartbeats on it!"

"I know!" Andros said, appearing as if he were about to burst into tears. He turned her around. "We'll also get to see how much they've grown since the first one. Oh, gosh. This is going to be an incredible pregnancy." He cupped her chin in his hand.

"I will have to gain more weight than most expectant mothers do because I'm carrying twins, but I don't care. I'm determined to take care of myself," Ashley declared firmly.

"I'm glad you will. You and the babies are my life. I can't imagine losing any of you," Andros whispered, wiping a tear from his eye.

"I can't imagine losing any of you three either. You are all my life too," Ashley said lovingly. "I love you."

Andros sniffled. "I love you too."

Andros and Ashley shared three kisses. They rubbed noses before hugging each other tightly. They pulled apart after thirty seconds. She tried to suppress a yawn, but she was unable to.

"I'm feeling tired now. Why don't we go to bed?" she asked.

He nodded at her. "Okay."

Andros and Ashley released their hold on each other. They headed for their respective sides of the bed and got in. He laid on his back, and she snuggled up to him. They pulled the covers over them. She laid her head on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"It's going to be great waking up in the same bed every morning," Ashley said, giggling to herself.

"It sure will. Good night, Ash," Andros said, snorting softly.

She exhaled. "Good night, Andros."

Andros and Ashley closed their eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep. The rain stopped falling. The clouds began to part, revealing the moon.


	88. Midmorning Escapade

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. It also has sexual content. Like before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you can read at your own risk. Stay tuned for chapter eighty-nine.

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Chapter 88: Midmorning Escapade

The midmorning sun shined its rays through Andros and Ashley's window. The lovebirds were sleeping soundly while laying on their sides. He had his arm around her. She brought her hand close to her chest. She yawned widely before sighing contently. She pushed her face further into the pillow and curled her hand into a fist.

Andros stirred in his sleep. He opened his eyes slowly and held up his arm to shield them from the light. He blinked five times to adjust them. He put his arm down. He took his off head the pillow to take a better look at his girlfriend. He smiled, thinking she looked so beautiful. He was looking forward to waking up beside her even more. He saw the strap of her white nightgown had fallen off her shoulder, but he decided not to put it back on.

He slid his hand up and down her arm. He felt her stir quite a bit. He showed disappointment when she didn't wake up. He let out a lustful growl. He wanted her right now. He pulled her hair aside, taking slow yet even breaths. He kissed her neck. He gave it a long lick before nibbling on it. He slid his hand down to her breast. He fondled it slowly at first, but he upped his pace. She emitted a soft moan.

"You better not stop, Andros," she said and opened her eyes. She turned over after he took his hand away. "I want more."

"I will give it to you," he answered and took her face into his hands. He let out a lustful growl. "I will make it feel good."

He kissed her passionately. He plunged his tongue into her mouth and touched hers. He smiled at her moaning delightfully. She moved her hand into his hair, gripping it tightly. In fact, she appeared ready to rip it out. Their heartrates got faster, becoming in sync with each other. Jolts of electricity went up and down their spines and sped through their bodies.

Andros turned his and Ashley's bodies until he was on top of her and in between her legs. He licked her neck twice before smothering it with hungry kisses. She leaned her head back, letting out a pleasurable sigh. She winced painfully when he bit it. She sighed in relief after the pain faded. She had no doubt a mark would be there later, but she didn't mind. She was glad to be with him right now.

He kissed her possessively. He slid his tongue into her mouth and traced every inch of it. He touched hers with it. He smiled against her lips when he heard her groan estasticly. He kissed his way down to the valley between her breasts. He buried his face there. He sucked on it very hard. She rolled her head back into the pillow while sighing softly. She grabbed his head.

He came back to her eye level. He grabbed her nightgown and ripped it to pieces. He tossed them to the floor. He took off his blue t-shirt and threw it over his shoulder, not caring where it landed. They kissed hard, their hands wandering and groping everywhere. He kissed her jawline. He ran his tongue along it three times. He went to her earlobe. He nibbled on it gently at first, but he upped the pressure. She tried to suppress a whimper, but she couldn't help herself.

Andros and Ashley became engaged in a fierce kiss. He moved her hands to her breasts. He fondled them slowly yet surely. He gave them hard squeezes, and she cried out in pleasure. He teased the nipples with his thumbs. He kissed her neck hungrily before biting it hard. She kissed his shoulder before giving it a long lick. She slid her hands over his back, chest, stomach, and arms. She felt him kiss her neck once more.

"Oh, that hits the spot, Andros," she moaned as her boyfriend sucked on her neck. She whimpered at his sliding her hands over breasts. "Oh, yes! Yes!"

"Good, Ashley," he growled. "Let it out. I will make it feel even better. You can count on that."

The lovebirds kissed passionately. Their tongues dueled in a fight for control. She went to his neck and nibbled on it. She sucked on it, and he moaned excitedly. She bit down on him, smiling at his painful wincing. He sighed in relief when the pain faded. She licked at his earlobe before giving it a gentle blow. She traced her tongue along it. They hugged each other, not wanting to let go. The familiar fire started to build within them.

He sucked on her neck. He slid his hands up and down her body. He pulled away from her. He stared at her intensely. He ripped her blue underwear to pieces and tossed them to the floor. She was glad she packed plenty of clothes and nightclothes with her and that she had more at home. She didn't mind him ripping them apart, yet she didn't want to be low on them, especially if they ended up stuck at the cabin due to a snowstorm.

Andros moved back and leaned down. He kissed Ashley's right inner thigh before nibbling on it. He alternated between licking at and sucking on it. She moaned as she grabbed at the covers. Her head rolled back into the pillow. He lavished her left inner thigh with the same amount of attention. Her grip on the covers tightened so much that she appeared ready to rip them.

He turned his attention to his girlfriend's entrance. He plunged his tongue inside her and fondled her wet folds with it. He went slowly at first, but he became ravenous. In fact, he looked as if he would lap every bit of her up. He teased her clit with his tongue, smiling when heard a delighted gasp come from her. She moved her hips with his motions. He bit down on it hard, and she moaned as she came. She was so lost in it that she couldn't breathe.

Ashley felt her high ebb away, a sated feeling rushing through her body. Andros came back to her eye level. He kissed her, and she tasted herself on lips. She plunged her tongue into mouth, wanting more. She broke the kiss and looked down to see the large bulge in his green shorts. She knew he couldn't hold on much longer. She pushed them and his blue underwear down. He helped her get them off. His cock sprung forward, and her breathing turned to shudders. She looked at him, her body trembling quite a bit.

Andros aligned his cock at Ashley's entrance. He began to enter her, but pulled back out. She giggled, knowing he was teasing her. He slid inside of her until he was sheathed to the hilt. He started to thrust in and out of her almost immediately. She wrapped her arms around him somewhat tightly. She moaned as he kissed her neck. He licked at it before blowing on it.

Andros and Ashley kissed very hard. Their tongues engaged in a fight for control, and groans came from their mouths. He broke away from her. He trailed kisses from her jawline to her neck. He nibbled on the shoulder. He blew on it. She whimpered as he moved between kissing and sucking on her neck. Their grunting and groaning seemed to mingle together.

"Oh, god," Ashley whispered huskily. She whimpered at his blowing on her neck. She upped the volume when he bit down on it. "Oh, shit. Give me more, Andros."

"I will, Ash," Andros growled intensely. "I will make it feel great."

Andros captured Ashley's lips in a possessive kiss. He upped the intensity and speed of his thrusting. He felt his body grow tighter with each passing second. He slipped his tongue past her lips and traced every inch of her mouth with it. She moaned so loudly that she sent an echo through the room. It probably reached outside. He trailed kisses to her pulse point. He proceeded to suck on it. She whimpered softly. She grabbed at his shoulders as if trying to keep herself from going over the edge.

He kissed her lips once more. He plunged his tongue into her mouth. He smiled at her moaning quietly. He moved his hands up and down her body. The skin broke out in goosebumps. He kissed her neck hungrily. He licked at it, and she kissed his shoulder. She gave his neck a long lick before blowing on it. He growled intensely and grabbed at her hair. The fire within him was building to such a strong point that he thought he'd lose it right now. He had little doubt it was doing the same in her.

He pulled away to stare deep into her eyes. He emitted such loud hisses that they echoed throughout the room and most likely outside. He grabbed her wrists. He pinned them above her head. He thrusted harder and faster into her. He hissed three more times. The fire within them was nearly at its peak. He tightened his grip on her. She tried to keep a whimper from leaving her mouth, but she couldn't help herself. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I can't—" she started.

He hissed softly. "I know."

Andros kissed Ashley passionately. His thrusts grew harder and faster. He increased his grip on her wrists even more. Their climax was almost at its peak. He broke the kiss to press his forehead against hers once more. She whimpered before pressing a kiss to his lips. He coaxed her lips to open with his tongue, touching hers. He smiled when heard a moan come from her.

He finally released himself into her. She echoed her release to without any time in between. They broke the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Their panting mingled together. Their bodies trembled quite a bit, and he loosened his grip on her. She reached up to touch his forehead. She ran her hand over it very slowly. They swallowed hard, their trembles coming to a stop.

"Wow," Ashley whispered in amazement.

Andros chuckled. "Definitely wow."

Andros kissed Ashley's forehead. He rolled over until she was on top of him. He positioned to where he remained inside her. She laid her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat.

"This is the second time you've woken me up in the morning to make love to me," she whispered happily. "I honestly believe you'll be doing that to me a lot."

"Oh, I will. I also plan to wake you up in the middle of the night to make love with you," he said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

Ashley took her head off his chest and looked at him. "I'll do the same to you in both circumstances."

Andros tapped her nose with his finger. "I think I will do it more than you will."

"Oh, no," Ashley said while shaking her head.

"Oh, yes," Andros said as he nodded rapidly.

"Oh, no," Ashley said and pointed her finger in his face.

"Oh, yes," Andros growled playfully.

"Oh, no," Ashley hissed and smacked him on the chest.

"Oh, yes," Andros said and slapped her in the back of her head.

Ashley balled her hand into a fist. She pressed it against her boyfriend's chin. He faked groaning and fell into unconsciousness. She looked at him closely. She screamed when he came back to life. She smacked him on the chest.

"You are such a meanie," she growled in mock anger.

He smirked. "I'm proud to be a meanie."

She smiled lovingly and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. She rubbed noses with him before tickling his. She touched his cheek and stroked it very gently with her thumb.

"It means the world to me that we are here," Ashley said in a loving voice. "We don't have to worry about anyone bothering us. Except for calling us on the phone, that is."

"Every now and then, we get a call from someone who accidentally dialed the wrong number," Andros commented.

"Many people don't realize they've dialed the wrong number until it's too late. They apologize profusely when they are told they did that," Ashley said, pressing her lips together.

"It's good they do," Andros said, clearing his throat. "They usually learn not to do that again."

"Mm-hmm," Ashley agreed.

"What I can't stand is people deliberately dialing a wrong number because they want to be funny," Andros grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Some people will actually dial nine-one-one when there is no emergency. That is dangerous," Ashley hissed angrily.

"You're right. Time is wasted when paramedics have to deal with non-emergencies. By the time they respond to real emergencies, it may be too late," Andros muttered.

"You will never see me dial nine-one-one unless it's an emergency," Ashley declared.

"The same goes for me," Andros said firmly. He brought himself up to kiss her cheek. "Let's pray we never have an emergency with your pregnancy."

She placed her hand on his face and pushed him back. "Oh, yes. We must never forget that it is riskier due to my carrying twins."

"Of course not," Andros assured and ran his hand over her hair. "It's going to be a challenge raising twins, but I'm looking forward to it." He smiled.

"As am I," Ashley murmured and kissed his nose.

"Just don't throw any dirty diapers in my face," Andros said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh, I will if you annoy me enough," Ashley threatened playfully.

"So will I if you do the same to me," Andros retorted, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Bring it on. I dare you," Ashley taunted.

He pulled his tongue back into his mouth. "I will."

Ashley kissed her boyfriend on the lips and patted his cheek. She slid her hand across his forehead.

"I love you," she said warmly.

"I love you too," he replied, winking at her. "If there is one great thing about being up here, it's that we can make love all day if we want to."

"We could, but we'd have to stop to eat. Then we'd just go right back to it," Ashley pointed out. "Besides, I'm in the mood for taking nude pictures of each other later on. What do you think of that?"

"I say that's a great idea," Andros said with pride.

"Great. First, I'd like to have a shower with you. Second, we can have breakfast. Third, we'll take the pictures. How's that?" Ashley suggested.

"Wonderful," Andros said happily.

The lovebirds shared a soft kiss, which became passionate quickly. Ashley started to move up and down on him. She broke the kiss. She pulled back and braced her hands on Andros's chest. He touched her breasts. He fondled them in a slow manner. He squeezed them hard, and she threw her head back, sighing pleasurably. He sat up and grabbed her hips to move her on him. He thrusted upward into her hard and fast. He kissed her hard as she touched his head.

"Don't you dare stop making love to me, Andros," Ashley hissed fiercely.

Andros smothered her neck with hungry kisses. "I won't, Ash. I won't."

Ashley captured his her boyfriend in a hard kiss. Their tongues fought for control. She grabbed his hair tightly. They lost themselves in another lovemaking session.


	89. Coming Again

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighty-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has a bit of Andros/Ashley. I can't say for sure, but the next ultrasound will be coming in the next few chapters. I'm sure you are ready for that because I am. I really enjoyed doing the first one, especially since I had Kai doing it. I honestly believe he would've made an excellent obstetrician since he had strict parents while growing up. That's why I decided he should be one in this fic. Despite he was a teen father, he didn't let that keep him from becoming one. Stay tuned for chapter ninety.

XXXXX

Chapter 89: Coming Again

Ashley moaned ecstatically as Andros moved inside her thirty-five minutes later. She was on her back while he hovered over her. She kissed him hard. She pushed her tongue into his mouth. He groaned softly, and their tongues dueled for control. He thrusted harder into her and smothered her neck with hungry kisses. He licked at it before sucking on it. He grabbed at the sheets while growling softly.

He felt fire within him reaching its peak. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. He buried his face into her neck to kiss it hungrily. He licked at the pulse point before biting down on it. She groaned loudly, her hands curling into fists so tight that she'd break glasses if she were holding them. He kissed her roughly. He plunged his tongue into her mouth. He smiled at her heady moans. He pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"I can't hold on much longer, Ashley," Andros groaned and shuddered quite a bit.

"Me neither," Ashley whispered and swallowed hard.

The lovebirds kissed passionately. His thrusts became harder and faster. His grip on her wrists tightened somewhat. He buried his face into her neck and licked at it. They approached their climax. She cried out pleasurably at him sucking on her neck. Her head rolled back into the pillow, and she felt him capture her lips in a possessive kiss. She groaned when he plunged his tongue into her mouth.

Andros thrusted one last time into Ashley as he broke away from her. He released himself into her. She echoed her release to him four seconds later. Their bodies trembled so much that it seemed they couldn't stop. He loosened his grip on her wrists and let go of them. They started to return to reality. They breathed hard while squeezing their eyes shut. Their heartbeats got back to normal. They opened their eyes. He felt her place her hand on his cheek.

"That was unbelievable," she whispered while breathing deeply.

He chuckled. "Yep."

He kissed her and rolled off her to lay on his back. He sighed in content when she snuggled up to him and laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so glad we got to make love in your aunt's master bed at her cabin," Andros said and smiled sweetly.

"Me too," Ashley said, giggling to herself. "It's great that it's so comfortable. I don't think I could handle the lovemaking if it wasn't."

"The same can be said for any other bed," Andros admitted, patting the bed three times. "I'd love to sink down in this one."

She took her head off his chest and looked at him. "You want me to go with you?"

"Of course," Andros answered while nodding slowly. "I have one request."

"What's that?" Ashley wondered.

"You can't stop to do your makeup," Andros said and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Then I will put makeup on you," Ashley said, a big smile crossing her lips.

He shook his head. "Nope, nope, nope."

She smacked him on the chest. He grabbed her wrist when she tried to do it again. He pointed his finger in her face and shook it.

"Remember what I told you. You can't smack me on the chest twice," he scolded playfully.

"Aw! You ruined my fun!" she whined and pouted.

"You can whine and pout all you want," Andros said with pride. "I'm not changing my mind at all."

"Okay. I will continue pouting," Ashley said and made her pout bigger.

"Gosh. You look so cute with a pout," Andros commented and laughed lightly.

"So do you," Ashley said and stopped pouting. "Of course, I'm the one who has the cuter pout."

"No, you don't," Andros said with a shake of his head.

"Yes, I do," Ashley said while nodding rapidly.

"No, you don't," Andros responded and blew a raspberry.

"Yes, I do," Ashley said, squealing delightfully.

"No, you don't," Andros growled and snorted loudly.

"Yes, I do," Ashley shrieked.

He hissed in mock annoyance and squeezed her butt. She screamed in surprise and slapped his shoulder.

"Keep your hands to yourself!" Ashley blurted out in mock anger.

"You'll have to tie my hands behind my back in order for me to do that," Andros retorted with a smirk. "Then I'll grab you with my feet."

Ashley shook her head in disbelief. "That's what you think."

Andros narrowed his eyes at her. "Hey, I'm great at grabbing things with my feet."

Ashley tickled Andros's side, making him laugh aloud. In fact, he was so loud that he scared off two northern mockingbirds that had been sitting on the balcony railing. She stopped her assault and kissed his cheek.

"I'm so glad we conceived our twins the night we lost our virginities to each other," she said happily.

"I am too," he agreed. "Who would've thought the night we lost our virginities would be the night we became parents?" He shrugged.

"I know," Ashley commented with a slow nod. "Sex has to happen when a woman is at her most fertile state. It can be hard to tell when she has irregular periods." She laid her head back on his chest. "Sometimes, more than one egg is fertilized, resulting in multiples."

"I never saw that happening to us," Andros admitted softly. "Still, I feel grateful to be the father of more than one baby."

"I feel grateful to be the mother of more than one baby," Ashley whispered lovingly.

"What's crazy is some men deny paternity of children simply because they were with the mothers only one time," Andros said, an angry scoff coming out of his mouth. "All it takes is one time for impregnation to happen."

"It's just like when men deny paternity of women's babies because they used protection. Everyone knows no contraception is one hundred percent effective, except for abstinence," Ashley said bluntly.

"Some people want abstinence-only sex education, but it has proven to be ineffective," Andros said, sighing heavily. "Despite this, it is still pushed on society." He hissed frustratingly.

"Let people think abstinence-only sex education is superior," Ashley declared firmly. She formed a fierce expression on her face. "I will teach our children about comprehensive sex education."

"I will too, Ash," Andros agreed. "I will too."

Ashley reached up to stroke her boyfriend's cheek. He took it and kissed her palm. He felt her lay it on his stomach and trace circles into it. She took slow yet even breaths.

"Though it's uncommon, some women do become pregnant during their first time," Ashley said, pulling her hair behind her neck.

"You happened to be one of them," Andros said, running his fingers up and down her back.

She sighed in happiness. "I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Then again, I wouldn't have cared if our twins were conceived after that."

"Me neither," Andros admitted, suppressing a yawn. "You won't believe this, but there is a process called superfetation. It is the simultaneous occurrence of more than one stage of developing offspring in the same animal."

"No way," Ashley said, her face beaming with amazement.

"I'm not kidding," Andros answered honestly. "Reports of superfetation occurring long after the first impregnation have often been treated with suspicion, and some have been clearly discredited." He touched the top of her head. "Other explanations have been given for different levels of development between twins. Artificially induced superfetation has been demonstrated, although only up to a short period after insemination."

"Talk about interesting," Ashley whispered, bringing her hand up to her face.

He smiled lightly. "Oh, yeah. The first recorded incident of superfetation occurred in 1960. John and Mary Tress of Baltimore MD had what the nurse mistakenly identified as twins. Dr. Paul C Weinberg of Mt. Sinai hospital delivered the boys, Anthony John and Mark Francis. He realized that Anthony, born five minutes before his brother Mark, looked premature. Immediately, he did X-rays of the boys' thighbones. He noticed a disparity in bone age. Anthony was a two-month premature baby born five minutes before his full-term brother Mark. Anthony was conceived a full two months after his brother Mark."

"Wow," Ashley exclaimed.

"Yep," Andros agreed. "In 1992, Taylor and Evan Barth, conceived one month apart, were born in Hawaii, USA to John and Michelle Barth."

"Do you think that could happen to us?" Ashley wondered.

"I don't know," Andros said truthfully. "It'd be interesting to see that happen."

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Mm-hmm."

He kissed the top of her head. He shifted his position somewhat and hugged her a little more tightly.

"I've been reading up on possible complications of having twins. One of them is twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. It's a rare, serious condition. It occurs when identical twins share the same placenta. It's a disease of the placenta, not the babies themselves," she said sadly.

"Yikes," he responded, his voice showing a bit of fear.

"You're not kidding. Abnormal blood vessel connections form in the placenta and allow blood to flow unevenly between the babies. The donor twin becomes dehydrated. The recipient twin develops high blood pressure. It produces too much urine and overfills the amniotic sac," Ashley explained.

"Mothers carrying two or more babies carry more amniotic fluid than normal," Andros commented thoughtfully. "Excessive amniotic fluid is a condition called polyhydramnios."

"That condition is highly likely in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome," Ashley said, shuddering uncertainly. "The donor twin does not produce as much urine as it should. This results in a low amount of amniotic fluid and poor fetal growth. The recipient twin produces more urine than usual. This leads to an enlarged bladder and excess amniotic fluid. The excess fluid can put a strain on its heart. It occasionally leads to heart failure. Without treatment, this condition can be fatal for one or both twins. Fetal surgery may help them. Oh, god. I hope I don't develop this condition. I don't want our babies to—" Tears shined in her eyes.

"Shh. It's okay. We don't know if you will develop it. If it does, it's not your fault. We can talk to Kai about it at the next ultrasound appointment. I have no doubt he knows about it," Andros assured.

"I want to do that," Ashley said and sniffled quietly. "I am determined to reduce as much risk to our children as I can. I want them to be born healthy so much."

"I want that as much as you do. Sometimes, you can take all the precautions in the world and still have problems. It's life. We have to take it as it comes," Andros pointed out.

"Everything we work for can be gone in the blink of an eye," Ashley said, a heavy sigh coming out of her mouth.

"Exactly," Andros replied. "We must always expect the unexpected."

Ashley took her head off Andros's chest to kiss him on the lips. She rubbed noses with him.

"I'm going to call the teen center and tell the direction we want to join the teen parent support group at the next meeting when we get back," he said.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting other teen parents. I honestly believe we will make many friends in that group," she said, the tears falling from her eyes.

"They will be surprised to learn that two former Rangers are to be teen parents," Andros whispered, chuckling somewhat nervously.

"I know," Ashley agreed. "They may judge us for that. They may not. Who knows?"

He showed determination. "One thing is clear. We are staying in that group, no matter what anyone says."

She gave a sharp nod. "That's right."

Andros and Ashley kissed three times. They pressed their foreheads together, their breathing becoming in sync with each other.

"I'm ready for that shower," Andros said.

"So am I," Ashley agreed. "Of course, I can't put my nightgown back on because you ripped it to pieces." She giggled.

"Then go put your robe on," Andros growled playfully. "It's hanging on the desk chair."

"Oh, that's right," Ashley said and made a funny noise. "Come on."

Andros and Ashley got out of bed. She went over to the desk chair and grabbed her pink robe. She put it on, tying it closed. He grabbed his shorts and underwear. He put them on. They went over to the suitcase. She unzipped it and opened it. She got a white t-shirt, black yoga pants, blue underwear, and white socks. He grabbed a green t-shirt, long black pants, gray underwear, and blue socks. They headed for the bathroom and went inside. He closed the door.


	90. Not So Hard

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. I have to say it will be fun showing Ashley in various states of her pregnancy. It's more than likely I will show her having a bad mood swing and yelling at everyone, especially Andros. Of course, she will only be behaving this way because of pregnancy hormones. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-one.

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Chapter 90: Not So Hard

Andros flipped the first of five fried eggs over with a spatula in a skillet in the kitchen forty minutes later. He repeated his action with the other three. He moved the skillet from side to side twice. He laid his hand on the counter and started tapping his fingers on it. A plate of bacon sat on the counter next to the stove, as did an orange juice-filled glass.

Ashley set two plates next to each other on the table before putting the silverware in their proper places. She put napkins under the forks. She got a glass from the cabinet next to the sink. She went to the sink and turned on the water. She stuck her glass under it. She filled it more than halfway before turning it off. She sipped a little bit of it. She looked toward her boyfriend. She saw him give her a sweet smile.

"It's nice that you are cooking for us again," she squeaked gleefully.

"Yes, but it's breakfast this time," he said and chuckled lightly. He winked at her and pushed three of the eggs back somewhat.

"It doesn't matter. You are cooking again. You do a hell of a job with it," Ashley said seriously.

"Well, I had to learn to feed myself at a young age," Andros responded, sighing to himself. "If I hadn't, there is no way I could've survived out in space."

She set her water on the counter next to the sink and came to his side. "There is no way TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and I would've survived in space if we hadn't come across you."

He tapped the spatula on the skillet twice. "If you hadn't come into my life, I'd still be on my own. If Zhane were awake, he would've been my only company."

"If you were still on your own, these miracles would never have come to be," Ashley said, touching her stomach and giving it a gentle pat.

"So true," Andros said and put the spatula down. He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her tenderly. He pulled away from her to look her in the eye. "It will be nice to feed the twins while they sit in high chairs. After they manage to sit up on their own, that is."

"We should get two high chairs. We can have them in the kitchen with the family during mealtime," she said, giggling.

"Now, that's a good idea," Andros said, pride echoing from his voice. "Of course, having twins does mean twice the messy food."

Ashley groaned to herself. "It also means picking up twice as many toys and washing twice as many clothes."

"Yes, but I don't care if we have to clean up more than most new parents do. I'm happy to be a father to twins," Andros said, warmth echoing from his voice.

"I'm happy to be a mother to twins," Ashley commented, smiling. "Anyone who objects to us raising them can get lost."

Andros gave a sharp nod. "That's right."

The lovebirds kissed again and rubbed noses. They pulled away after ten seconds. He turned to the stove and used the spatula to check the undersides of the eggs. He saw they were done and switched the burner off. He looked at her.

"I'll take the eggs to the table. You get the bacon," Andros commented.

Ashley nodded at him. "Of course."

He brought the skillet to the table. He slid two eggs on his plate with the spatula. He did the same to hers with three. He returned to the stove, laying it on another burner. He put the spatula in it. She got her water and the bacon. He grabbed his juice. They went to the table and sat down. They laid their drinks down. They put salt and pepper on their eggs. She got four pieces of bacon while he got two. She cut a piece of her egg. She popped it into her mouth and chewed it up. She swallowed and nodded in approval.

"These eggs are even better than the last ones you did, Andros," she said, happiness beaming from her face.

"Thanks, Ash," he answered, winking at her. "It's interesting when Earthlings ask whether the chicken or the egg came first." He broke off a piece of his bacon. He put it in his mouth, chewing and swallowing with a loud gulp. "I thought it was so weird when you first told me about it."

"Chicken-and-egg is a metaphoric adjective that describes situations where it is not clear which of two events should be considered the cause and which should be considered the effect," Ashley explained.

"You're right that the cause and the effect aren't always clear," Andros said, getting eggs onto his fork and putting them in his mouth. He chewed quickly before swallowing with a quiet gulp. "Sometimes, what should be the cause is the effect."

Ashley shrugged. "It's crazy, but it's true."

"Still, Earthlings have some of the most fascinating sayings," Andros said in awe.

"Yep," Ashley agreed. "Let's get back to the chicken-or-egg question. If the question refers to eggs in general, the egg came first. The first egg-laying animals evolved millions of years before birds. If the question refers to chicken eggs specifically, the answer is again the egg. However, the explanation is more complicated. An animal nearly identical to the modern chicken laid a fertilized egg that had DNA identical to it. To put more simply by Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, 'Which came first: the chicken or the egg? The egg—laid by a bird that was not a chicken.' Reptiles existed before chickens did. They laid eggs."

Andros chuckled. "Neat."

"If humans laid eggs, we'd have many children running around," Ashley exclaimed.

"No shit," Andros said, shaking his head. "I don't think I could handle a bunch of children being born at the same time. I'll stick with us having our twins."

"Me too," Ashley said with great pride. "We just might have more children in the future."

"As long as we can afford them, I don't mind having more," Andros admitted softly. "We might have another set of twins."

"Having one set of multiples right after the other is very rare. The chance of having identical triplets two times in a row is one in one million," Ashley pointed out.

"That is a really small chance," Andros said in awe.

She nodded sharply. "Mm-hmm."

She leaned forward to kiss his cheek. He returned the favor to hers and took her hand into his. He gave it a light squeeze.

"If we have another set of multiples, just don't throw their dirty diapers in my face," he joked.

"I won't do that if you don't do that to me," she said.

Andros smiled. "It's a deal."

Ashley giggled and kissed her boyfriend's cheek three times. They resumed eating their breakfast.

00000

Andros scrubbed a fork with a sponge in soapy water thirty minutes later. He managed to get it clean. He rinsed it off and handed it to Ashley. He watched her put it in the dishwasher's bottom. He cleaned up the spatula before giving it to her. She placed it in the dishwasher's top. He grabbed the skillet. He proceeded to scrub it.

"It's going to be great washing dishes with you more often after you move in with my parents and me," Ashley whispered, smiling lightly.

"The best part about moving in with you is I don't have a ton of stuff to bring with me. TJ told me he wants to keep my bed in his room because he'd like me to sleep over sometime," Andros explained.

She laughed. "That's very sweet of him. I hope I don't drive you out of the house with my mood swings."

He snorted. "I don't either, but at least I'll have a place to crash if that happens. Karone and I are so lucky. TJ's parents didn't have to take us in, but they did."

"Zhane is lucky too. Carlos's parents didn't have to take him in, but they did," Ashley pointed out.

"If our parents were alive, something tells me they would've decided to come to Earth with us. We would've moved into our own houses," Andros commented truthfully.

"I'm sure your parents would've loved living on Earth. The same goes for Zhane's," Ashley said, sniffling.

"Ain't—Isn't that the truth?" Andros asked, chuckling nervously.

"Hey, just because you corrected yourself doesn't mean you're off the hook for saying ain't," Ashley said sternly.

"You just said it," Andros said with a snicker.

Ashley narrowed her eyes at him. "It's your fault I said it."

He put the skillet down and washed the soapsuds off his hands. He approached her and gave her a noogie. He knocked on her head.

"Hello, anybody home?" he asked.

"There is no one here but Ms. Brain," she said in a high voice.

Andros smiled and stopped his knocking. "I'm glad she's there. I don't want you to lose your brilliant mind."

"I don't want you to lose yours either," Ashley said and sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, some people do lose their minds when they get older. Dementia causes a long term and gradual decrease of the ability to think and remember that is great enough to impair everyday living. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia."

"People on KO-35 do know about dementia," Andros said, his eyes showing sadness. "I've seen elderly people develop it, and it was horrible to see them go downhill and not be able to do anything about it."

"My grandparents have been fortunate not to develop any symptoms of dementia, but that's not to say they don't experience memory loss from time to time," Ashley murmured.

"Experiencing some memory loss is part of getting old," Andros said matter-of-factly. "If your grandparents do decide to be in the twins' lives, then I hope they never develop dementia."

Ashley smiled. "Thanks."

He planted a soft kiss to her lips. She put her arms around his neck to deepen it. He slipped his around her waist. Moans came from their mouths, and their tongues fought for control. She moved her hands downward. She slipped them under his t-shirt. She slid her hands over his stomach and chest. He broke the kiss, and she groaned in annoyance.

"I'd love to keep kissing you, but we need to get that skillet into the dishwasher," Andros commented.

Ashley nodded. "Sure."

He went back to the sink and got the skillet. He cleaned it off and handed it to her. She placed it on the bottom. She filled the compartment with dishwashing soap before closing the dishwasher. She turned it on, and he drained the sink. He washed the soapsuds off his hands. He high-fived her.

"This great team strikes again," Andros yelled in delight.

"For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out in the old ballgame," Ashley sang and pointed her finger at him as if it were a gun.

"I hope you're not going to shoot me with that finger," Andros said and raised his hands above his head.

"I won't," Ashley whispered and smiled mischievously. "Then again, maybe I will." She made a gunshot sound.

"You got me!" Andros groaned, clutching his chest. "I'm done for!"

He fell on his back, his legs and arms spreading out eagle style. He ceased all movement and closed his eyes. She came to his side, getting on her knees. She leaned carefully toward him. Suddenly, he sprung to life, grabbing her arms. He pulled her on top of him, chuckling as she smacked him in the chest with mock annoyance.

"You're such a meanie, Andros!" Ashley blurted out.

"I'm glad to be a meanie," Andros said, letting go of her and putting his hands behind his head. "Don't try to change me."

"Don't worry. I won't," Ashley said, blowing a raspberry at him. "Just don't stop being the king of telekinesis." She giggled.

"I will always be the king of telekinesis," Andros said and moved his eyebrows up and down.

"If you are the king of telekinesis, then Karone is its queen," Ashley replied, clearing her throat.

"That's right," Andros said while nodding slowly. "If Michael Jackson is the king of pop, then Madonna is its queen."

"Yep," Ashley agreed.

"Heh," Andros said, snorting softly. "Now, come here!"

Andros flipped Ashley over on her back and slipped in between her legs. He brought his hands to her sides. He unleashed a tickle attack on them. She laughed so hard that she ran out of breath. He ceased his attack, and she became quiet. She panted somewhat hard as he climbed off her and got on his knees. She sat up, managing to catch her breath.

"I didn't mean to make you run out of breath, Ash," he said a little guiltily.

"It's okay," she responded and leaned close to him. "I'm ready to do some nude picture-taking."

Andros smiled. "I say that's the perfect idea. How about you take pictures of me first?"

Ashley nodded. "Sure. Let's do the nude picture taking on the bed first. Then we can do it in the shower."

"Okay," Andros answered warmly. "Let's go."

Andros rose to his feet. He took Ashley's hands and pulled her to stand. He gave her a soft kiss on the lips. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. They went through the living room and up the stairs.


	91. Naked Pictures and Getting Frisky

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chaper has plenty of Andros/Ashley. It also has sexual content. Like before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read at your own risk. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-two.

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Chapter 91: Naked Pictures/Getting Frisky

Andros lay on his stomach on his and Ashley's bed in their room six minutes later. He was completely naked. He had the front part of his body off it and his folded in front of him and on it. He had his knees bent and the lower part of his legs off it. He looked toward Ashley as she snapped a picture of him with her camera while standing a short distance away from the bed's side.

"Good, Andros," she said, taking another picture. "Now, lay on your side. Prop your head up with your elbow."

"Okay," he answered and rolled on his side. He propped his head up with his elbow and placed his other hand on the bed next to his stomach. "How's that?"

"That's perfect," Ashley said in delight. "God. You look so hot without a single thing on." She giggled.

"I'm glad you said that," Andros said with pride. "If you hadn't, I would've gotten off the bed and gone over to you. I would've tickled you until you said what you said a second ago."

"Do it. I dare you," Ashley threatened playfully.

Andros let out a chuckle. "Nah. I don't want to lose this pose."

"Spoilsport," Ashley mumbled and made a funny noise.

"I know you are, but am I?" Andros teased and imitated Elmer Fudd's laugh.

"Nice imitation of Elmer Fudd's laugh," Ashley complimented.

"Thanks," Andros said happily. "Now, shut up, and take more pictures of me before I get off the bed and give you a noogie." He smirked.

"Oh, shut up," Ashley retorted and blew a raspberry at him.

"No, you shut up," Andros responded, taking a deep breath. "Take the pictures now, you goofball." He scoffed in mock annoyance.

"Oh, you will pay for saying that," Ashley said with a loud giggle.

"Only if you pay me for posing naked," Andros joked and moved his eyebrows up and down.

Ashley smiled widely. "I'll do that if you pay me when I pose naked next."

"I would, but I'm broke," Andros said very sarcastically.

"Yep," Ashley said with just as much sarcasm. "Now, hold still. No laughing whatsoever."

He nodded and stayed still. She snapped three pictures and looked at his arm. She pointed her finger at it and gestured toward his chest. He nodded and moved his arm to it. He bent his elbow as he covered his nipples. He laid the upper part of his arm on the bed. She smiled in satisfaction and took two pictures.

"Okay. Let's go to the front of the bed. Sit on the edge with your feet on the floor and your hands on the bed. Lean back some," Ashley instructed.

"Sure, Mother," Andros quipped and snickered under his breath.

She gave him a mock glare. "Hey, I'm not your mother."

He smirked. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist."

Ashley went around the front of the bed. Andros moved himself to the edge, swinging his legs over it. He placed his feet on the floor and his hands on the bed. He leaned back some. She nodded in approval before taking three pictures. She took slow yet even breaths.

She gazed at his lap. She gestured his hands toward it. He winked at her and brought his hands in front of him. He placed them on his lap. He straightened his posture. She giggled and took four pictures. He put his hands behind his head. He looked at her with a question in his eyes. She gave him an approving nod.

Andros nodded and stayed in this pose. Ashley snapped three pictures. He crossed his left leg over his right and put his hands on his knee. He gazed at her, the same question showing in his eyes. She gave him a thumbs-up. He smiled and remained as he was. She took two pictures. She clapped three times.

"Okay. It's my turn to pose naked," she announced.

"I'm glad. I want to see your sexy naked body so bad," he growled in playfulness.

"You better keep your paws to yourself, you little dog," Ashley joked with a small hiss.

"Don't worry. I will," Andros said, holding up his hands defensively. "You have to keep your paws to yourself." He winked at her.

"Duly noted," Ashley answered and approached him. She gave him her camera. "Now, get to taking pictures of me right now."

"Sure," Andros said, standing up. "Just let me get my underwear and pants on while you undress."

"Of course," Ashley said, winking at him. "Just don't peek. I don't want you pouncing on me before I have a chance to do any poses."

Andros nodded at his girlfriend. She went over to the window and took off her t-shirt. He went over to the suitcase, where his pants and underwear lay. He grabbed them and put them on quickly. He looked over his shoulder as she took off her pants. She saw his reflection in the window.

"Hey, I told you no peeking, Andros," she blurted out.

He snickered. "I couldn't resist."

He turned away, though he did peer over his shoulder at her again for one second. He looked toward the door. She slipped off her underwear and turned around.

"Okay. You can turn around," Ashley said.

Andros turned around and wolf-whistled. "Look at you, sexy beast."

"Hey, you better go to the bathroom sink if you're going to drool," Ashley teased and giggled.

"Don't you worry," Andros assured, holding the camera in front of him. "I won't drool." He gave her a wink.

Ashley smiled. "Great. So, how do you want me to pose first?"

"I say you should get in the middle of the bed and lay on your back. Then you raise your legs and bend your knees. You place your feet on the bed. You put your right arm behind your head and your left hand in your hair. I want you to face the front of the bed," Andros explained.

"All right," Ashley agreed. "Here it goes."

She got on the bed and crawled to the middle. She faced the front as he headed over there. She lay on her back. She raised her legs and bent her knees. She placed her feet on the bed. She placed her right arm behind her head. She raised the left one before bending her elbow. She slid her hand into her hair. Just then, an idea clicked in her head.

"Andros, what do you think of this?" Ashley asked. She crossed her right leg over her left.

"Oh, that makes your pose even better," Andros answered, a big smile crossing his lips.

"Quit staring at me, and take the pictures!" Ashley yelled in some annoyance.

"I can't help it," Andros said, laughing lightly. "You look so sexy in that pose." He growled playfully. "In fact, you are the sexiest pregnant woman in the whole universe right now."

"She happens to be carrying twins," Ashley said excitedly. "I think our kids would be surprised we posed for nude pictures."

"We're not telling them about that until they are thirty," Andros warned, sternness lining his voice. "Anyway, it's time for me to take pictures of your sexy body."

"I like the sound of that," Ashley said in relief. "Now, let's go!"

Andros smiled and took three pictures. He looked at Ashley's arms and motioned toward the bed. She nodded and placed them on it. She took her leg off the other one and put her foot on it. She looked at him with a question in her eyes. He nodded in approval. He snapped four pictures.

"All right," he said. "Sit at the edge of the bed. I want your feet on the floor and your arms behind your head."

"Okay," she replied and crawled to the edge of the bed. She swung her legs over it, planting her feet on the floor. She lifted her arms to put them behind her head. "How's this?"

Andros nodded approvingly. "That's perfect."

He snapped three pictures and gazed at her arms. He pointed his finger at the bed and motioned toward it. She removed them from behind her head. She put her hands on the bed. He gave her a thumbs-up before taking two pictures. She closed her eyes. He stared at her, his breathing becoming pants. His heartbeat quickened somewhat, and he growled lustfully. He wanted her badly, and he was determined to have her while he could. He went over to the desk, laying the camera on it. He returned to her. She opened her eyes, seeing his lustful glaze.

"Andros, I know that—" Ashley started.

Andros placed a finger over her lips. "Yes, I want you right now."

Andros took his finger away and grabbed Ashley's cheeks. He leaned down, kissing her passionately. He coaxed her lips to open with his tongue and touched hers. She moaned softly yet excitedly. She slid her hands into hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. In fact, she appeared ready to pull it out. Their tongues fought for control as their hands wandered and groped everywhere. Their heartbeats sped up, and electricity rushed through their bodies.

She broke the kiss and moved back until she was close to the pillows. He took off his shorts and underwear. He climbed on and crawled to her. They engaged in more passionate kissing, their arms going around each other. They attempted to get as close to each other as possible. She trailed kisses to his ear. She nibbled on it. She smiled at a groan coming from his mouth. She licked at his earlobe. He grabbed at her shoulders as if trying to keep himself from going over the edge.

She kissed her way to his pulse point. She sucked on it very hard. He growled intensely. He upped the volume when she bit down on him. The pain faded quickly. He had no doubt there would be a mark there in the morning, but he didn't care. He hoped she would leave marks all over his body. He felt her kiss his neck.

Andros pulled away and kissed his girlfriend hard. He laid her down, getting in between her legs. His tongue entered her mouth in which it touched hers. He smiled against her lips at a moan coming from her. He moved his hand to her entrance. He rubbed it gently before slipping his fingers inside her. He fondled her wet folds. He went slowly at first, but he got faster. She moaned so loudly that she sent an echo through the room and possibly outside.

"Oh, Andros," she whispered, rolling her head back into the pillow. "That feels incredible." She gasped when he increased the pressure. "Oh, shit!"

"That's it, Ash. Let it all out," he growled fiercely. "That's not the only thing I will do to you down there."

He took his hand away and moved back. He leaned down to rub his face against her entrance. He slid his tongue up and down the flesh five times. He plunged it inside her. He fondled her folds ravenously. She whimpered, grabbing at the covers. She tightened her grip when he messed with her clit. She moved her hips along with him. He bit down on it hard. She moaned pleasurably while coming. She couldn't breathe due to being lost in it. She came down from her high. A sated feeling rushed through her body. He returned to her eye level as she panted hard.

"I love it when you eat me up. It just makes me want more of you," Ashley said, giggling suggestively.

Andros smirked. "I'm not even close to being done with you."

He gave her lips a hard kiss. She plunged her tongue into his mouth. She wanted to taste her sweetness so badly. She slid her hands into his hair. She felt him kiss her neck. She moaned at his blowing on it. She got louder when he licked it. He moved his hands into her hair. He returned to her lips for another kiss. His tongue entered her mouth, touching hers. This made her moan softly yet excitedly.

Andros slid his hands up and down Ashley's body, the skin breaking out in goosebumps. He brought them to her butt to give it a hard squeeze. She groaned very loudly. This sent an echo through the room and outside. He kissed her jaw three times before capturing her lips in another hard kiss. Their tongues dueled for control.

She flipped him over on his back, getting her legs on either side of him. She trailed kisses to his neck. She nibbled on it gently before giving it a long lick. She went to his earlobe to run her tongue along it. He let out a soft groan while moving his hands to her shoulders. She kissed down to his neck. She sucked on it before smothering it with hungry kisses. He rolled his head back into the pillow, sighing contently.

She teased his neck with her tongue, smiling at his intense growling. She kissed him passionately, her tongue going past his lips and exploring every inch of his mouth. She moved her hands up and down his body so slowly that it seemed she wasn't even doing that. She trailed kisses down to his chest. She licked at the spot over his heart before sucking on it. He hissed pleasurably, his hands grabbing at the covers. The familiar fire began to build within their veins.

Ashley looked at her boyfriend's nipples. She moved her hands to them. She teased them with her thumbs in which they hardened underneath her touch. She leaned down and licked from the right nipple's underside to the top. She moved toward the left one's top to its underside. She went back and forth five times. He sighed softly, and his back formed an arch. His breathing became shudders when she blew on his right nipple, followed by the left one. He opened his eyes, panting hard. She kissed him passionately, their tongues fighting each other for control. They hugged each other tightly, unable to let go.

He sat up and slipped his hands into her hair. He kissed her neck hungrily as he slid them to her breasts. He fondled them slowly, which caused her to throw head back. He teased her nipples with his thumbs, hardening them. He licked from the right breast's underside to its upper part. He slid his tongue over to the left one's upper part to its underside. He moved back and forth four times. He blew on the right nipple, followed by the left one. She grabbed at his hair, trying to keep herself from going over the edge.

Andros kissed his girlfriend possessively. He traveled to her neck and sucked on it. He licked it at, and she moaned pleasurably. He gave a gentle blow, smiling at her sighing contently. He went to her earlobe and teased it with his tongue. She groaned so loudly that it sent an echo through the room and most likely outside.

He flipped her over on her back and stared deep into her eyes. He aligned his erect cock at her entrance. He slipped inside her until he was sheathed to the hilt. He began thrusting in and out of her immediately. She wrapped her arms around him very tightly. She rolled her head back into the pillow as he kissed her jawline.

"Oh, shit. Oh, god," Ashley cried in excitement. "That feels so good, Andros. Don't stop!"

"I won't, Ashley," Andros growled with great intensity. "I will make it feel even better."

Andros kissed Ashley with great possession. His thrusting became harder and faster. He shoved his tongue into her mouth. She moaned headily, and his body tightened with every passing second. He grabbed at the covers while groaning in great pleasure. He kissed her neck before tracing it with his tongue. He moved to her pulse point. He sucked on it, and she whimpered while moving her hands to his shoulders. She gripped them tightly.

He kissed her with great passion. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, smiling against her lips when he heard her moan quietly. He traced every inch of it. He moved to her ear. He nibbled on it gently at first, but he increased the pressure somewhat. He traced her earlobe with his tongue, and she sighed in ecstasy.

He sat up and jerked her into his lap. He kissed her roughly, one hand moving into her hair and the other to the small of her back. She wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning excitedly at his thrusting upward into her. He planted butterfly kisses on her neck, and she tilted her head to the side. He licked his way up to her earlobe. He teased it with his tongue.

"Oh, my beautiful mother-to-be," he whispered lovingly.

"My handsome father-to-be," she replied.

He thrusted into her harder. She kissed his shoulder, her hands going up and down his back. She sucked on it before licking her way to his neck. He clenched his teeth while grabbing her hair with his other hand. The fire within him was building to such a strong point that he wasn't sure he could hang on much longer. He believed it was doing the same in her.

He decided he was tired of sitting up. He pushed her on her back and kissed her hard. His thrusts became harder and faster. The fire in both of them was reaching its peak. He grabbed at the headboard with both hands. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, and she whimpered softly. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes.

"I'm nearly there," Ashley said, her breathing becoming shudders.

Andros hissed pleasurably. "I am too."

Andros thrusted even harder and faster into Ashley, their arms going tightly around each other. Their climax was almost at its peak. He buried his face into her neck. He kissed it before licking at it. He started sucking on it hard. She cried out in much pleasure. Her head rolled back into the pillow, and she swallowed hard.

He finally released himself into her with a lustful growl. She echoed her release to him without any time in between. He pulled back to look into her eyes. He listened to her panting. It was like music to his ears. They pressed their foreheads together.

Andros rolled off Ashley, a loud grunt leaving his mouth. He laid on his back, sighing in much content. She snuggled up to him to lay her head on his chest. He slipped his arms around her. He ran his fingers through her hair. She traced circles in his stomach with her fingertips.

"I honestly believe our families would freak out if they found out we took nude pictures of each other at the cabin," she said nervously.

"Yes, but we are eighteen years old. We're adults in the eyes of the law," he pointed out matter-of-factly. "If we want to do crazy stuff like taking nude pictures, then we will. People can't stop us." He nodded sharply.

"I know, but just because someone told us to jump off a bridge doesn't mean we have to," Ashley responded.

"That's true," Andros agreed with a slow nod. "I've never understood people who follow the herd." He scoffed. "I honestly believe they are there for the attention, not whatever the group is focusing on."

"I do too," Ashley said, clearing his throat. "Some people crave validation and approval from others. If being part of something will get them both, then they will join it. Humans have always had a desire to belong somewhere."

"That somewhere isn't always pretty," Andros muttered, his body growing tense.

"Anyway, what we need to do is keep those nude pictures in a safe place," Ashley commented seriously. "Imagine the ridicule we'd endure if someone like Veronica got their hands on them, especially me. I'd be seen as an attention-seeking slut who doesn't deserve to be a mother. If we have daughters, people may say they'll turn out just like me." She shuddered in fear.

"Just because you had nude pictures of yourself taken doesn't mean any of our daughters will choose that for themselves when they are adults," Andros hissed angrily. "I didn't force you to pose nude, so I could take pictures. You chose that of your own free will. If people go after you for showing off your nude form, then they should go after me for doing the same with mine. It's hypocritical for people to go after someone for doing something while turning a blind eye to others doing the same."

"That's right," Ashley said bluntly. "The perfect example of hypocrites are Veronica and Erica. They call me a slut, yet they are the ones who sleep around." She shuddered in disgust. "They are sick."

"They sure are," Andros said, sighing to himself. "You are a million times the woman they, Bianca, and Tara can ever hope to be."

"Thank you," Ashley responded, removing her head from his chest to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you," Andros said in a loving voice. "Now, come here."

Andros flipped Ashley over on her back. He settled in between her legs and kissed her with passion. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Their tongues touched and fought for control. They couldn't stop groans from leaving their mouths. He kissed her jawline and neck. He sucked on the latter.

"Oh, Andros, don't stop!" Ashley pleaded. She whimpered when he licked her neck. "Please!"

"I won't, Ashley," Andros declared. "You can count on that."

Andros kissed Ashley possessively. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them at her sides. He growled lustfully as he smothered her neck with butterfly kisses. She let out a soft yet excited moan. He captured her lips in another possessive kiss. They became lost in another round of lovemaking.


	92. Nothing At All

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. This chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. Ashley's second ultrasound will be coming in the next few chapters. I am really looking forward to it. I am not sure how many more of her ultrasounds I will do after this one. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-three.

XXXXX

Chapter 92: Nothing At All

Andros pressed a spatula on the first of four burgers in a skillet on the kitchen stove in the early evening. He repeated his action with the second, third, and fourth. He peeked at each of their undersides. He smiled in satisfaction and began to sing nonsense. He tapped his foot five times before pressing the toe of his gray tennis shoe into the floor.

He became quiet and clicked his tongue. He and Ashley decided not to take nude pictures in the shower following their second round of lovemaking, especially since she had gotten a craving for cheese and crackers. However, they did agree to take some at home on a day that Ashton and Anna were away. They also agreed she would keep the pictures in her wooden box in her closet because it was the last place her parents would look.

Andros went to the refrigerator and got four slices of cheese. He returned to the stove and took the plastic off them. He laid them on the burgers. He looked over his shoulder at two plates, two knives, buns, and chips that lay on the table. He shifted his attention to a plate that sat next to the stove, as did water-filled glasses. Ashley came in. He smiled at her.

"The burgers are almost ready, Ash," he announced.

"Wonderful," she said happily and went to his side. "You were so sweet to offer to cook again."

He took a deep breath. "After cooking breakfast for us, I just had to offer to cook dinner. Besides, I have several more opportunities to cook as we have two more days here."

"So do I," Ashley pointed out and put her hand over her heart.

"That's true," Andros agreed.

"At least the burgers didn't end up on the ceiling when you flipped them," Ashley quipped and broke into a fit of giggles.

"Maybe I should flip you and see if you end up on the ceiling," Andros retorted playfully as he pointed the spatula.

"Do it. I dare you," Ashley taunted and growled fiercely.

"Okay," Andros said and acted as if he were going over to her. "Anyway, I'm glad I made four burgers instead of three. We can have them for lunch tomorrow." He laid the spatula down and went behind her to wrap his arms around her waist.

She giggled. "All we have to do is nuke them in the microwave as my dad says all the time."

"I remember when Morgan used the microwave to heat up one of her dolls because it was cold in _Boy Meets World._ It ended up melting as a result," Andros said, laughing to himself.

"It taught her a lesson about what can and can't go in the microwave," Ashley commented truthfully. "A microwave can be used to disinfect a sponge, but it has to be wet first because it can catch on fire."

"Everything I do sets you on fire," Andros hissed seductively and pulled her hair aside. He kissed her neck. He yelped in surprise when she elbowed him in the ribs. He pulled back, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, what was that for?"

"I'd love to get frisky with you, but you don't want the burgers to burn, do you?" Ashley asked, looking over her shoulder.

"No," Andros said, shaking his head. "Then again, you are so hot that I can't resist touching you intimately." He kissed her temple.

"You're so hot that I can't resist touching you intimately either," Ashley admitted. "If there is one thing we are good at, it's keeping an eye on our surroundings."

Andros smiled. "Yeah. Of course, you need to watch out for this!"

Suddenly, he squeezed her sides and tickled them mercilessly. She screamed with much laughter. She tried to break free, but she couldn't. He laughed evilly and shook his head.

"It's no use struggling, little girl. I'm going to tickle you to death!" Andros said menacingly.

"There is one way to get out of a tickle attack," Ashley said, a smirk forming on her face.

Andros furrowed his brow. "What's that?"

"How about this?" she yelled and elbowed him in the side. This caused him to lose his grip on her. She grabbed his arm and pulled it behind his back. He looked over his shoulder at her. "You do that again, and I will make you fight me with arm tied behind your back!" She jerked his arm upward, and he yelled in pain. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" he responded. He got a serious look from her. "I mean, ma'am."

"That's better," Ashley said with a sharp nod.

"I'd love to fight you with one arm tied behind my back. It'd be a challenge, but I do love one," Andros said with pride.

"Good for you," Ashley answered and planted a kiss on his cheek. She let go of him. They looked toward the burgers, seeing the cheese had melted.

"Hey, I better get those burgers off the stove," Andros said and approached the burgers. He turned off the burner. He put them on the plate. He took the skillet off the burner and laid it on another.

"What do you want me to do?" Ashley wondered.

"You can get the rest of the stuff we need for the burgers from the refrigerator," Andros suggested.

Ashley saluted him. "Yes, sir!"

She went to the refrigerator to get the mustard, mayo, ketchup, and pickles. He brought the burgers over to the table to place them beside the buns. He mimicked her actions with his stuff. They got their waters and brought them to the table. They laid them on it. They sat beside each other and started to fix their buns.

"If there one thing I am thankful for while here, it's not having to worry about who is listening in on our conversations. That is as annoying as hell," Andros said and spread mustard on his bun.

"No shit, Sherlock," Ashley grumbled and sighed frustratingly. She spread mayo on her bun. "It's because of the snooping Tara and Johnny that the whole school knows about the twins. Because of Veronica snooping on Tommy, Kat, Jason, and Emily's conservation about them, all of Angel Grove knows about them."

He scoffed. "They actually believe it was their right to share this private information to everyone they knew."

She sighed heavily. "One thing is clear. We are more careful with the conversations we have with each other, our friends, and our families now."

"Oh yes," Andros agreed. "What's unbelievable is people will believe everything they hear. Even if they know the truth about something, they will ignore it and continue to believe a lie."

"A lie can travel through the universe before the truth has time to put its shoes on," Ashley said bluntly.

"So true," Andros agreed. They grabbed burgers and placed them on their buns. They put chips on their plates and napkins in their laps. "Some people are great at lying. They go into much detail about lives they claim to have lived, whether they are great or horrible. It's their way of getting the attention and approval they long for."

"If you want attention so badly, then why not volunteer at a food bank or a hospital? There's no need to lie," Ashley hissed angrily.

"You can tell liars that, but they won't listen. They'll continue their con ways, no matter what," Andros commented in disbelief.

"You'll never see me lie to get attention," Ashley declared.

Andros looked proud. "That's my girl. You'll never see me lie to get attention either."

Ashley smiled. "That's my boy."

He took her hand into his. He gave it a gentle squeeze and tickled the back of it. The skin broke out in goosebumps. She brought his hand to her face. She kissed the palm so lightly that it seemed she hadn't done that. They let go of each other and picked up their burgers. They bite into them, chewing and swallowing with loud gulps. They put them down, and she nodded in approval.

"Great job on the burger, Andros," Ashley said happily.

"Thanks," Andros answered, a chuckle leaving his mouth. "There are so many different spices that it's hard to choose which ones to use." He shrugged before suppressing a yawn.

"I think covering mud in spices and seeing how it tastes is in store for us," Ashley snickered.

"That sounds like a good idea," Andros said, cupping his chin in his hand. "You should try it first."

"Nah. I'd rather not have mud in my teeth," she said with a shake of her head.

"Aw, man!" he cried and pouted.

"Put that pout away. It won't make me change my mind," Ashley said in much defiance. He stopped pouting and mumbled inaudible words. She smiled and kissed his cheek. She pinched it before rubbing it. "You're so cute when you pout."

"Perhaps I should do that more often," Andros said, winking at her and laughing softly.

"Oh, yes. It doesn't just make you cute. It also brings out your eyes," Ashley said, flicking his nose.

"Thanks," Andros said. She pinched his nose. She tickled it, smiling when he chuckled. "You know, there is always a chance you could be hungry after you finish your burger."

"That's true," Ashley agreed and looked down at her stomach. She laid her hand over it. "It'd be because of these two." She turned back to him.

"Yeah," Andros said, nodding slowly. "I'm proud of you. You've done so well with staying healthy ever since we learned about the pregnancy."

"I was already practicing healthy habits before I became pregnant. It's not easy because junk food is everywhere," Ashley said seriously. "On rare occasions, I feel tempted to eat a whole bag of potato chips." She tensed. "One serving of fifteen chips has one hundred fifty calories and ten grams of fat. The average number of servings in a big bag is ten. If I ate a whole bag, I'd be putting one thousand five hundred calories and one hundred grams of fat into my body. That's not good at all."

"No, it's not. The reason why you wouldn't eat a whole bag of chips is you have great self-control. You know your limits," Andros said, warmth echoing from his voice.

"Yeah. Besides, eating all those chips would definitely make me sick," Ashley whispered, shuddering in disgust.

"Yep," Andros commented. "At least you have me to hold your hair back when you get sick."

Ashley smiled and kissed her boyfriend's cheek. They looked at their burgers and picked them up. They took bites out of them. They chewed and swallowed with quiet gulps. They laid them down.

"You know what's crazy?" she asked. "Some women think they can keep their men from leaving them by having babies with them." She scoffed. "That is a bunch of crap. If a man doesn't want to be with a woman, a baby won't make him stay."

"Some women go as far as faking pregnancies and stealing babies from their real mothers. They pass them off as their own," he muttered.

"You remember _Empty Cradle_ starring Lori Loughlin and Kate Jackson?" Ashley wondered.

"Oh, I do. Rita faked a pregnancy to keep her boyfriend, Frank, from leaving her. Then she stole Jane's baby girl and replaced it with a stillborn one. She passed it off as her own. The problem was she snatched the wrong baby. Frank wanted a boy, so she faked a second pregnancy. She slit Theresa's throat and cut her baby boy out of her. She took him to the hospital and claimed she had given to him at home. She was busted when Dr. Genzer examined her and found she showed no signs of having given birth as well as revealing she had a hysterectomy ten years earlier. Jane was reunited with her daughter. Theresa's son was given to his father," Andros explained.

She showed anger. "Rita was sick, plain and simple. She only wanted Frank. She couldn't have cared less about the two little babies she stole from their mothers."

He gave a sharp nod. "That's right. I did some research on the internet. I found the movie was based on the case of Norma Jean Armistead. She worked at the Kaiser Hospital in Los Angeles. She faked a pregnancy and stole Mary Childs's baby girl in September 1974. She switched it with a stillborn one. This was to keep her common-in-law husband, Charles, from leaving her. On May 16, 1975, she checked into the hospital cradling a newborn baby boy she claimed she gave birth to at home. She was examined and was found to show no signs of having given birth. The staff became suspicious and alerted authorities. The boy's mother, Kathryn Viramontes, was found stabbed to death in Norma's apartment. He had been cut from her womb. Norma claimed insanity in her first-degree murder trial, but she was convicted and is serving a life sentence. Mary was reunited with her daughter, and Kathryn's son was given to his father."

"Norma was insane to think she could pass off two babies as her own," Ashley said, looking disgusted.

"It is possible for a woman to get pregnant just a month after giving birth. Norma could've waited a month to pretend to get pregnant a second time. It would've made the whole thing a little more convincing, but she didn't want to wait. She wanted to get Charles a baby boy right away," Andros whispered with an angry hiss.

"It makes me wonder if some women have faked being pregnant with multiple babies," Ashley commented, her voice showing disbelief.

"I believe some have, but it's harder because women who are pregnant with multiple babies tend to have larger stomachs than those who are just having one," Andros pointed out.

"Yes. Anyway, I'm glad that bitch is behind bars. She should never get out of jail for what she did to poor Kathryn," Ashley declared.

"That's right. She didn't care about those little babies. She only cared about keeping her lover," Andros said, sighing heavily.

Ashley placed her hand on her stomach and rubbed it. "You will never see me fake a pregnancy. No siree."

Andros smiled. "Great."

The lovebirds shared three sweet kisses. They rubbed noses before looking down at their meals.

"How about we finish these burgers before they get cold?" Ashley suggested.

"Oh, yes," Andros answered eagerly. They picked up their burgers and ate more of them. They sipped their water and ate some chips.


	93. Of Checkers and Massages

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. It's looking likely Ashley's second ultrasound will be in the chapter after the next one. After that is taken care of, the teen parent support group will make its first appearance. Anyway, this chapter has lots of Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-four.

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Chapter 93: Of Checkers and Massages

Andros and Ashley were immersed in a game of checkers while sitting on their bed in their room in the late evening. He had red while she had black. The box lay on the floor. He narrowed his eyes at the board. He slid a checker forward. She tilted her head somewhat. She moved a checker to the square in front of his. She watched him jump it and take it away. He laughed while holding it up.

"Got one of yours!" Andros announced smugly.

"You'll regret saying that," Ashley said with a smirk. She put her hand on a checker on the board's left side. She double-jumped two of his checkers to reach the end. She crossed her arms and looked very satisfied. "King me."

"But you're a girl. I can't king you," Andros responded as he waved his finger in the air.

She giggled. "Just put it down, Andros."

"All right," Andros said and brought the checker very close to the other. Suddenly, he took it away and leaned close to her. "Why should I king you? I mean, this piece is very valuable to me." He imitated Curly's nyuk-nyuk-nyuk.

"Put it down before I give you a knuckle sandwich!" Ashley yelled, holding up a fist.

"Okay!" Andros responded and put the checker on top of the other. "There! Are you happy?" He hissed in mock irritation.

"Very," Ashley said with pride.

He chuckled. "I know something else that can make you happy."

"What?" Ashley asked.

He grabbed her cheeks. He pulled her face toward his to press a kiss to her lips. She laid her hands on his neck to deepen it. They broke apart, pulling back to stare into each other's eyes.

"That does make me happy," she giggled.

"Good. Don't forget how great a kisser I am," he said and moved his eyebrows up and down.

Ashley saluted him. "Duly noted. Just don't forget how great a kisser I am."

He flicked her chin and rubbed noses with her. He got off the bed to grab the box. He sat back down on it, opening the lid. She picked up the board. She dumped the pieces in the box. She folded it and placed it inside. He closed the box before laying his hand on it.

"You're a damn good checker player," Andros said sweetly.

"Thank you. So are you," Ashley replied warmly.

"I remember when we watched _The Rescuers Down Under_ at your house after our one-year anniversary date," Andros said, a smile crossing his lips. "Jake acted very smug when he jumped one of Sparky's checkers and took it." He chuckled. "Sparky jumped all his and reached the end of the board. Jake called him a wise fly as he kinged him."

"That part was my favorite. Jake's annoyance made me laugh so hard!" Ashley blurted out.

"Me too. He didn't like losing," Andros commented, scratching the back of his neck.

"Nobody does, but that doesn't mean you should be a sore loser," Ashley pointed out seriously.

"It really takes the fun out of the game when people throw fits for losing," Andros mumbled.

"Why play a game when you get mad over a loss?" Ashley wondered, giving a shrug.

"That's right," Andros said honestly. "If you ask me, sore losers should be slapped silly and given kicks to their asses."

Ashley let out a small laugh. She pulled her hair behind her neck before placing her hands on the bed. She tapped them on it, clicking her tongue three times.

"We shouldn't forget sore winners," Andros said and held up a finger.

"Of course. There's nothing worse than people bragging about their wins," Ashley grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Andros scoffed. "I recall one boy who was a major braggart at footraces Zhane and I had with other kids on KO-35. He would go on and on about how he was the fastest kid in the whole colony whenever he won. I'd try to bring back him down to KO-35, but he'd write me off as being jealous. He never had many friends." He propped his head up with his elbow on his leg.

Ashley rubbed her nose. "I can't blame those kids for not wanting to be around him. Arrogance can easily drive others away."

Andros shrugged while raising an eyebrow. He stretched his arms above his head before letting out a long yawn.

"One thing is for sure. Veronica has a ton of arrogance," he said and mumbled inaudible words.

"Oh, yeah. She won't be getting any friends with that," she responded.

"That is unless she finds some who are arrogant like she is," Andros whispered, breathing deeply.

"Good luck with that," Ashley said sarcastically. "I don't think I've known anyone to be more arrogant than she is."

Andros nodded in agreement. He grabbed the box and crawled to the edge of the bed. He leaned down to put the box under it. He pushed himself back up to return to Ashley.

"Let's forget about arrogant Veronica. Let's focus on something else," Ashley suggested.

"What?" Andros wondered.

"How about giving me a massage?" Ashley said, moving her neck and shoulders with a grimace. "My neck and shoulders could use one."

"Sure," Andros answered, smiling. "You'll have to sit in front of me while I'm facing the TV, though. Doing it while gazing out the window looks too weird."

"Who are you calling weird?" Ashley teased.

"No one," Andros said, turning his body to face the TV. "Now, get in front of me, so I can give you a massage!"

Ashley giggled and scooted over until she was in front of her boyfriend. He cracked his knuckles and began giving her neck a massage. He rubbed light circles into it. She sighed in content as she looked up. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. She glanced over her shoulder at him. She placed her hands on her legs.

"Thanks so much for doing this, Andros," Ashley whispered, her voice tinged with sweetness. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Andros replied, increasing the pressure somewhat. "I can't count the number of massages you've given me."

"You were always tensed up after a battle," Ashley pointed out.

"So were you, though you were never as bad as I was," Andros said, tilting his head a bit.

"You're a guy," Ashley commented. "Guys are supposed to get more tensed up than girls when they work out."

"As Dark Specter's attack on the universe drew closer, his forces became more aggressive with every attack," Andros said, sighing heavily.

"Not to mention we were sent to a few unusual places because of them," Ashley said, swallowing hard.

"That reminds of the black truck that tried to get us while we were out on a date," Andros said, clearing his throat. "It captured each of our friends and sent them to a desert with the exception of Zhane. We ended up in its crosshairs again, and it got us."

"At least we managed to get to safety because of him," Ashley whispered, sighing in relief.

He nodded in agreement. He increased the pressure a little more on her. She took slow, even breaths and looked down at her lap.

"I wish we could stay here forever. I prefer being here to the noisiness of the big city," Ashley muttered sadly.

"I understand, Ash, but we have to go back. We have to finish school and graduate. I need to return to work, so I can help save money for the babies," Andros said seriously.

"I know, Andros, but I love it up here. It is such a peaceful setting. We have no cares in the world. Back in Angel Grove, we have to deal with so much bullying," Ashley hissed frustratingly. "It just isn't fair."

Ashley sniffled before wiping a tear from her eye. Andros stopped massaging her neck. He slipped his arms around her. He hugged her tightly, kissing her temple. He pressed his cheek against it.

"It's okay, Ash," Andros murmured soothingly. "You're not alone. I hate dealing with those bullies as much as you do. I want to be here just as much as you do. However, we must go back and continue with our lives. This holds true for preparing for the twins' birth."

"Of course," Ashley agreed. "Still, it's a bit nicer up here."

He smiled. "Oh, yeah."

He buried his face into her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. He planted a soft kiss there before laying his chin on her shoulder.

"Look on the bright side. We have two more days to be alone here," Andros said, sighing in content.

"I love the sound of that," Ashley squeaked joyfully.

He widened his smile. "That's my Yellow Ranger."

She chuckled. "Thanks for making me feel better, my Red Ranger."

Andros kissed Ashley's temple again and hugged her a little tighter. He rocked her from side to side for thirty seconds before beginning his massage on her shoulders. He rubbed light circles into them. He began to sing nonsense. She raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have to sing nonsense right now?" Ashley asked in curiosity.

"Why not? It makes the time go faster," Andros said.

"Since Billy is back, he needs to invent the remote that can mute your voice," Ashley joked with a snicker.

"I will mute your voice first with that remote," Andros smirked as he upped the pressure on her a little bit.

Ashley looked over her shoulder at him. "That's what you think."

Andros stopped massaging her. "Hey, I will."

Andros and Ashley shared a series of kisses. They rubbed noses and pressed their foreheads together. She glanced down at the bed as he went back to massaging her shoulders. She could feel the tension leaving her.

"I can't wait to see celebrities get slimed at the _Kids' Choice Awards_ in the upcoming New Year," Ashley said, excitement showing in her voice.

"Me neither," Andros answered, licking his lips. "It'll be fun ringing in 2000. The best part is you will be here for that."

Ashley ran her hand over her hair twice. "It's funny that people are freaking out about Y2K. Some think it means the end of the world."

Andros scoffed. "We've seen people carrying signs on street corners that say, 'Repent. The end is near.' It's so weird."

"Let them think the world will end," Ashley agreed. "We'll just ignore them."

"Yeah," Andros commented.

"Anyway, do have any New Year's resolutions?" Ashley wondered.

"I have two. The first one will be to take care of you throughout your pregnancy and after the twins are born. The second one is to be the best father I can be," Andros replied honestly.

"I have two as well. The first one is to take care of myself throughout my pregnancy and after the twins are born. The second one is to be the best mother I can be," Ashley said proudly.

He smiled. "We have great resolutions."

He kissed his her cheek. He looked down at her neck and increased the pressure a bit. He moved his head from side to side while singing a scat.

"Just promise me you won't jump off our house's walls on New Year's Eve," she joked.

"Oh, be quiet!" he yelled.

"You be quiet!" Ashley retorted with a smirk.

"You're the one with a big mouth!" Andros blurted out.

Ashley growled playfully. "No, that's you."

Andros snorted. "Give me a break!"

Ashley elbowed Andros in the ribs. She saw him grab them and pretend to be in pain. She gave him a mock sympathetic look.

"Aw! Did I hurt you?" Ashley taunted.

"Yes, you did!" Andros yelled with a whimper. He appeared as if he were about to cry.

"Let me kiss it all better," Ashley answered. She kissed her fingertips and tapped them on his side after he removed his hand. She smiled at him as he pretended to sigh in relief. "All better?"

"Yes, thanks," Andros said.

"You're welcome," Ashley said with a wink. "Now, get back to massaging me."

"Your wish is my command," Andros replied, bowing respectfully. "You are my princess."

Ashley laughed and looked ahead. Andros resumed massaging her shoulders, smiling at her sighing contently.

"I'd love to continue giving you this massage," Andros admitted. "Unfortunately, it'd tire my arms and hands out eventually." He frowned.

"You are great at giving massages," Ashley said matter-of-factly.

"So are you," Andros said, finishing his work. "Well, the massage is over with." He winked at her.

"Thanks," Ashley said, turning around. "Now, I want to do something else."

"What's that?" Andros wondered. He yelped when she climbed into his lap and kissed him hard on the lips. She pulled back, giving him a seductive look. "I like that idea."

Ashley growled playfully and gave her boyfriend another hard kiss. She slipped her tongue into his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She traced every inch of it, and he groaned in excitement. He brought his arms around her waist as he kissed her neck. One hand went into her hair while the other stayed on the small of her back. The lovebirds strove to get as close to each other as possible. They kissed once more as their hearts pounded against their chests. Electricity running through their bodies. They broke apart, staring at each other with much intensity.

"I love how beautiful your pregnancy makes you," Andros whispered seductively. "You are just glowing."

"Thank you," Ashley said, her voice laced with huskiness. "Now, come here."

Ashley captured Andros's lip in a fierce kiss. Their tongues touched, which made them moan. He pulled away and kissed his girlfriend's neck. She leaned her head back, giving him better access. She felt him trail his lips to her ear. He nibbled on it gently. She moaned headily when he increased the pressure somewhat. He planted kisses on her chest. He made his way to her pulse point. He proceeded to suck on it. She screamed with great ecstasy when he bit down on her. He pulled back to look at her.

Andros's hands found the hem of Ashley's green nightshirt. He moved it upward while swallowing hard. She raised her arms, which allowed him to remove it. He tossed it to the floor. She took his blue t-shirt off and threw it toward hers. She kissed him once more. He flipped her over on her back and settled in between her legs. He touched her breasts and fondled them. She sighed pleasurably. He ran his hands all over her body. So did she with hers on his. The world faded around them as they became lost in lovemaking.


	94. Back in the Bottle

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. The second ultrasound will be featured in the next one. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to that. I know I am. Many hospitals do give prenatal care to pregnant women. That's why I decided to have Angel Grove Memorial Hospital do just that. I wanted to have Kai as a former teen father, so Ashley could be more comfortable with him caring for her during her pregnancy. An-Mei and Brittany will make an appearance in the near future. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-five.

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Chapter 94: Back in the Bottle

Clouds covered half the late morning sky above the forest highway three days later. A white-tailed deer was chewing on three leaves it had pulled off the bush it stood next to. It swallowed before licking its lips. It watched Ashley's van pass while swinging its tail from side to side. It pulled another three leaves off the bush.

Ashley moved her hands to the sides of the steering wheel. She saw a bump in the road come into view and drove around it. She got the van straight very quickly. She turned toward Andros, who was looking out the window. She shifted her attention back to the road.

"What are you thinking about, Andros?" she wondered.

"I'm thinking about how much I enjoyed our Christmas stay at your aunt's cabin," he said happily. "It flew by rather fast too."

"Everyone knows time flies when you are having fun," Ashley replied, laughing delightfully. "We had so much fun that I thought it'd never end."

"Me too. The best part of this getaway was all the lovemaking we did," Andros said, eyeing her. "We went at it a lot more than we did the last time." He pumped his fists.

She smiled. "That's what happens you stay somewhere for four days instead of two. It's not just making love we did. We did lots of other stuff too."

"Taking naked pictures of each other was one of them," Andros commented. "That was a lot of fun. Shit. You looked so sexy without anything on. It's no wonder I couldn't keep my hands to myself." He wolf-whistled, which made her break into a fit of giggles.

"You look just as sexy without anything on yourself. I don't know how I controlled myself when I was taking pictures of you," Ashley said, shrugging.

He clicked his tongue and put his hands behind his head. "It doesn't matter. You managed to take lots of naked pictures of me."

"So did you with me. We must never show them to our families," Ashley said, gazing at him with a big smile on her face.

"Nope," Andros said with a slow nod. "Still, we did promise to take naked pictures of each in the shower during a night your parents are gone."

"I haven't forgotten," Ashley assured, turning back to the road.

He chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows. She saw another bump in the road. She attempted to drive around it, only to hit it. They bounced up and down in their seats. She turned the wheel, straightening the van.

"Now, that was a bounce!" Andros yelled gleefully.

"Oh, yeah. Had we bounced any higher, we would've hit our heads on the ceiling," Ashley answered, putting her hand on the ceiling. She pushed on it gently.

"We would've seen birds flying around our heads," Andros said, chirping as if he were a bird.

"I wonder where the idea of birds flying around people's heads when they get knocked out in cartoons came from," Ashley whispered thoughtfully and put her hand back on the wheel.

"Beats me," Andros said, giving a shrug. "In real life, people don't get birds on their heads. They get concussions." He groaned.

"No one wants a concussion, but they do happen, especially in contact sports," Ashley said, emitting a soft sigh. "Among them are football, baseball, and hockey."

"I've heard of people getting killed by hockey pucks that hit them in their heads at high speeds," Andros said, cringing badly.

"Ouch," Ashley mumbled.

He nodded in agreement. She hit a pothole, causing them to sink down in their seats. They straightened themselves up before making funny noises.

"Talk about a big sink down in our seats," he said, clapping three times.

"No shit," she said and adjusted the lap part of her seatbelt a little bit. "If the seats were any softer, we would've sunk down into them like that man did in that front seat in the cartoon about future cars." She returned her hand to the wheel.

Andros smiled. "It was funny to see him sink down into the seat to where just his head and legs showed. That seat was way too soft."

"He might as well have gotten ready while sinking down into it," Ashley squeaked cheerfully.

"Yep," Andros agreed. "Then again, he was already dressed for going out in public. Perhaps he could get ready while sinking down into the seat of that car after he bought it." He laughed raucously.

Ashley shook her head in disbelief. "You're weird, Andros."

"I know you are, but what am I?" Andros joked and laughed softly. He yawned a little bit. "Anyway, you will have to wear your seatbelt differently once your stomach starts expanding."

"Mm-hmm," Ashley agreed. "The best way to wear the lap part is under my stomach and over my thighs. The shoulder part is best worn in between my breasts and off my stomach. These positions provide the maximum protection against car accidents."

"Car accidents can cause miscarriage or premature birth if the impact is hard enough," Andros mumbled, fear showing in his voice.

"With me being pregnant with twins, the risk of miscarriage or premature birth in a car accident is even higher," Ashley said, gulping quietly.

"I don't even want to think about that," Andros murmured.

"Neither do I," Ashley admitted. "Still, I'm determined to stay safe when it comes to driving a vehicle or riding in one."

"Another way to stay safe is to not drive or ride for more than six hours each day," Andros pointed out.

She exhaled sharply. "Yep."

Ashley peered at her boyfriend in the corner of her eye as he let out another yawn, this one being a little bigger. She shifted her position in her seat somewhat.

"I'm glad you understood that I didn't feel like making love on the side of the road on our way back home," Ashley said warmly.

He sighed contently. "As much as I wanted to do that, how you are feeling is much more important."

"Some people couldn't care less about the feelings of others. Only theirs matter," Ashley mumbled, her face showing disgust.

"Those people are willing to get whatever they want and have no qualms about knocking others down to get it. This includes their own family," Andros hissed in anger.

"Talk about selfishness," Ashley growled and tightened her grip on the wheel some.

"Exactly. Some people call us selfish for keeping our twins," Andros muttered, sighing heavily. "I don't see it that way."

"I don't either. I'd rather we raise our twins than hand them over to total strangers. We don't even know how the adoptive parents would treat them," Ashley commented seriously.

"That's why potential adoptive parents should be screened carefully. You never know what their pasts could be hiding," Andros said, holding up a finger.

"Some people have lied on their resumes about jobs they've held and degrees they've earned. When their bosses found out, they fired them," Ashley said, rolling her eyes.

"I know why they lied. They wanted to look impressive to their potential employers," Andros said bluntly.

She suppressed a yawn. "You know what they say, 'Cheaters never win.'"

Andros gave a sharp nod. Ashley drove around a bump in the road and straightened the van with a turn of the wheel. A white-tailed deer darted across the road behind it. It disappeared behind a stand of trees.

00000

At the Johnson residence in the early evening, TJ was watching Andros toss a long-sleeved white shirt into a laundry basket on the floor while sitting on his bed in their room. Andros pulled a blue t-shirt out of his roll-on suitcase, which was on his bed. He threw it into the basket before getting gray socks to toss them in.

"I'm surprised that you two didn't rip more of your clothes to shreds. I thought you two would come home in nothing but your underclothes like you said," TJ joked.

"Maybe we should've done that," Andros answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I would've loved seeing your eyes and that of your parents and my sister pop out like slinkies."

"At least you and Ashley didn't have any wrong-number calls while you were at the cabin this time. That's so irritating, especially when you are trying to get it on with your significant other," TJ grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"I hope you and Cassie won't have to deal with that," Andros said, looking a little nervous.

"I do too, but it's likely we will. In fact, I don't see us becoming intimate for a while. We've only been on two dates," TJ said seriously.

"Some couples sleep together on the first date. I never understood that," Andros commented.

"Me neither. Some people will sleep with anything that moves," TJ muttered, shuddering badly.

"You won't believe this, but some people cheat on their spouses multiple times and blame sexual addiction for that," Andros hissed in anger.

TJ scoffed. "They use that as an excuse, so they can absolve themselves of any responsibility. However, sexual addiction is real. Compulsive sexual behavior has been observed in humans."

"The term sexual dependence is also used to refer to people who report being unable to control their sexual urges, behaviors, or thoughts. Related models of pathological sexual behavior include hypersexuality and erotomania. Hypersexuality is used by experts to describe frequent or increased sexual urges or sexual activity. Erotomania is a delusional disorder where a person thinks someone of higher status is in love with them when reality says otherwise," Andros explained.

"Johnny doesn't have erotomania. He would have to think Ashley was in love with him in order for him to have it," TJ commented.

"That jerk just wanted in her pants. He's the kind of guy parents warn their daughters to stay away from," Andros said bluntly.

"Oh, yeah," TJ said, nodding sharply. "We don't have to worry about seeing his face in school again. He also lost the chance to graduate with his class."

Andros sighed softly. "That's right."

Andros picked up gray underwear and tossed it into the basket. He grabbed two white socks, throwing them in.

"I'm glad you and Ashley had such a wonderful time at the cabin," TJ said happily.

"Me too," Andros agreed. "We had so much fun taking naked pictures of each other." He laughed. "She said she would hide them in her wooden box. It's the last place her parents would look."

"I can't believe you two did that," TJ whispered in amazement. "Moreover, you couldn't keep your hands off Ashley while you took naked pictures of her."

"How could I resist touching such a sexy woman, especially when her pregnancy makes her even more beautiful?" Andros wondered and threw a blue t-shirt into the basket.

"Cassie looks sexy in short shorts. I have little doubt she's even sexier without anything on," TJ said, growling as if he were a bear.

"Do you think you and Cassie will take naked pictures of each other?" Andros asked curiously.

"I don't know," TJ admitted with a shrug. "It'd be fun, but I'd have to ask her. If she decides she doesn't want to, then I won't force her. No one should force someone to do something they don't want to do."

"Unfortunately, some people do just that," Andros said grimly. "Many people dare others to do something dangerous and call them chicken if they don't."

"Nobody calls me chicken," TJ said in Marty's voice. 

"Nice imitation of Marty's voice there, Teej," Andros complimented and threw red boxer shorts into the basket.

"Thank you," TJ responded, winking at him. "I do love the _Back to the Future_ series. Marty is my favorite character. He made me laugh every time he tried to prove to others he wasn't chicken."

"He always told people he couldn't let them think he was chicken," Andros pointed out and sighed to himself. "By the third movie, he realized he didn't need to prove his bravery constantly. As a result, he avoided crashing into a Rolls-Royce that would have ruined his ability to play the guitar."

"According to the original timeline, that was one of his greatest tragedies," TJ whispered in sadness.

"At least he was brave when he was faced with danger," Andros said softly.

TJ watched his friend toss the last of his clothes into the basket. Andros closed the suitcase before zipping it shut. He set it on the floor. He sat down on his bed, letting out a light grunt.

"On Thursday, you are heading back to work. On Saturday, you begin moving into Ashley's house," TJ whispered.

"By next week, everyone will be back in school. I can't wait for the homework to begin piling up again," Andros said sarcastically.

"Hey, you have Ashley's next ultrasound to look forward to," TJ pointed out warmly.

"That's true," Andros said, nodding slowly. "I can see many students complaining about how Ashley and I got to have the day off while they didn't. Hey, we signed up for the teen parent program, which states we can be excused from our classes when we need to be." He huffed.

"Taking care of a child is nothing like a Huggies commercial. You have to tend to its every need," TJ said seriously.

"You know what's really crazy? Some women get pregnant on purpose, so their men won't leave them," Andros said, his face showing disgust. "The ways they do that are 'accidentally' forgetting to take birth control, poking holes in condoms, lying about being unable to have children, etc."

"That is crazy. Then again, some men have sabotaged their women's efforts to prevent pregnancy or lied about being unable to have children in hopes of impregnating them, so they won't leave them," TJ said, becoming a little angry.

"Those people don't give a shit about children. They only care about impressing others," Andros said in bluntness.

"I'd never try to impregnate Cassie on purpose. I know she'd never do the same to me. If we decide we want a baby, then we'll go for it. That is if our relationship gets to that point. We also want to be financially ready," TJ explained.

"Good for you. Ashley and I plan to save every penny we have for the babies. Of course, there will be times we will have to use the money for emergencies," Andros murmured, taking a deep breath.

"Mm-hmm," TJ agreed, suppressing a yawn. They started talking about returning to school next week.

00000

At the Hammond residence, Ashley took a red sweater out of her suitcase that sat on her bed in her room. She threw it into a laundry basket on the floor. She grabbed white socks and tossed them in. She repeated both actions with a green nightshirt, green night shorts, white underwear, and two blue socks.

She got two green socks from the suitcase and threw them into the basket. She did both with a red long-sleeved shirt, black yoga pants, two black socks, and blue underwear. She closed her suitcase to zip it shut. She smiled, as she was glad she was finished unpacking. Knocking caught her attention, and she gazed at the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened, its hinges squeaking a bit. Ashton walked in, causing Ashley to smile. He closed it behind him and approached her.

"Hi, Daddy," she greeted.

"Hi, honey," he said as he put his arm around her to give her a big hug. "Are you all unpacked?"

Ashley nodded eagerly. "Yep. All my dirty clothes are in the laundry basket." She gestured toward the basket.

"Wonderful," Ashton said, pinching her cheek. "My daughter will have lots of clean clothes for next week. Once they are washed, that is."

"I can't help but wonder if Andros is done unpacking," Ashley said thoughtfully.

"We can call him and find out if he is," Ashton joked, ruffling her hair.

"No, thank you," Ashley said, holding up her hand. "I don't want to interrupt him if he is still unpacking." She snorted.

Ashton whimpered. "Aw! You ruined my fun! Why did you have to do that?"

"Don't start the whining, Dad. I'm not changing my mind," Ashley answered sternly.

"I know," Ashton said and tickled her nose. "I can't resist messing with you."

Ashley slapped her father on the shoulder. He mimicked her with hers before pinching her nose. He went over to the bed to sit down. She came to his side, seating herself.

"I'm so glad you and Andros had such a wonderful time at the cabin," he said.

"I am too," she admitted. "I don't know when we'll make love as much as we did at the cabin again after the twins are born, but I honestly believe we will have a healthy sex life."

"A healthy sex life is important in a loving relationship," Ashton said truthfully. "When sex is lacking, one or both spouses will go looking for it somewhere else." He sighed heavily.

"Being unfaithful is one of the worst things a spouse can do," Ashley mumbled irritatingly. "I can understand if a spouse is unhappy, but why not say something instead of looking for someone to cheat on your partner with?"

"I know. Then again, it's not that simple," Ashton said with much regret. "Come to think of it. Things have never been simple since the dawn of humanity."

"So true. Previous generations often kept their emotions suppressed. It's no wonder so many people have problems dealing with them in a healthy way. They were taught showing emotion made them weak," Ashley commented in disgust.

"Our friends and families are lucky. We were all taught it was okay to show emotion," Ashton said in relief.

"I feel bad for men. They are called wimps when they cry or refuse to fight someone. They are not wimps. They are being human," Ashley whispered angrily. "Andros told me he cried when he admitted to TJ and Karone he wasn't sure if he could be a father at such a young age."

He sighed softly. "It's understandable he felt uncertain about that. It doesn't matter now. You two are already preparing for the future. With the help of your friends and families, you will be better off than many young parents are."

"You don't know how much we appreciate that help," Ashley said lovingly. She placed both hands on her stomach. "Anyway, I can't wait for my next ultrasound. Andros and I will get to hear the babies' heartbeats." She showed great excitement.

"You will have more ultrasound pictures to share with us," Ashton whispered cheerfully. He put his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It will be great to see how much the twins have grown."

"Yeah. My stomach will probably be out to here by the time I'm ready to give birth," Ashley commented, holding her hands in a circle a bit away from her stomach.

"Maybe it will. Maybe it won't. Who knows?" Ashton said, giving a shrug. "No two pregnant women carry the same, even if they are having multiple babies."

She giggled. "Ditto."

Ashley stretched her arms above her head before laying her hands in her lap. Ashton opened and closed his hands to flex his fingers.

"I'm going to take the laundry basket downstairs, so I can get started on washing your clothes," Ashton said and rose to his feet.

"Thank, Dad," Ashley answered gratefully. "Just don't let the clothes come to life and eat you."

He snickered. "Don't worry. I won't."

Ashley gave her father two winks. She observed him going to the basket and picking it up. He headed out of the room. She listened to his departing footfalls. She stood up and headed to the closet. She opened it and got on her knees. She pulled out her wooden box. She opened the box and pulled out a canister containing film, which consisted of the naked pictures she and Andros took of each other.

Ashley took slow yet even breaths. She was determined to keep the pictures here, where Ashton and Anna couldn't find them. If they happened to, she hoped they wouldn't react badly to it. They probably wouldn't because they had done crazy things when they were young themselves. Perhaps that included taking naked pictures of each other.

Ashley returned the canister to the box before closing it. She slid it back into her closet. She stood up with a light grunt and closed the door in a gentle manner. She made her way over to bed to sit down. She opened her nightstand's top drawer. She dug through it before pulling out _The Blue Lagoon._ She closed it and swung her legs over onto the bed. She leaned back and opened the book. She proceeded to read it.


	95. Time For Another Ultrasound

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just four days to get out. I can't believe I've gotten six hundred reviews. I want to give Alex B Goode a shoutout for being my six hundredth reviewer. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, TommyOliverMMPRFan and Ms. Catherine Willmon 2017 for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. It also features the second ultrasound and Kai's return. I am so happy to have finally done this as I have been waiting to do it a long time. I'm sure you are ready to see it. The teen parent support group will be featured in the next few chapters. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-six.

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Chapter 95: Time for Another Ultrasound

Ashley was watching a recorded episode of _Press Your Luck_ while sitting on the Hammond residence's living room couch at noon in mid-January. A contestant groaned in frustration when she landed on a Whammy. The Tarzan Whammy yelled as he swung across the screen on a vine. He went off-screen. An angry elephant appeared with him on its head. The Whammy card popped up with a boing.

She let out a small yawn. Andros called the Angel Grove Teen Center the day after he returned to work. He told the director, Cheyanne Madsen, they would like to join the Angel Grove Teen Parent Support Group and attend the meeting on the first Saturday of January. The Saturday happened to be New Year's Day, which was also the day he was to move into his girlfriend's home. Cheyanne told him it was scheduled for January 15 because meetings were never held on holidays. He accepted that and gave their names. He moved into the house the next day with the help of Ashton and Anna.

On January 8, Kendrix and Carl went to her eye appointment with Lydia. She received a prescription for contact lenses from her. She picked them up at Kroger two days later. She began wearing them the second she got home. On the same day, Johnny appeared in court to be indicted for felony weapon possession at the Angel Grove Courthouse. He entered a plea of not guilty. His trial wasn't scheduled yet.

Ashley rubbed her eyes. She couldn't wait to see the twins on the ultrasound again. What she was looking forward to the most was hearing their heartbeats on it. She wondered how strong they would be. Honking snapped her out of her thoughts. She stood up and walked to the window. She saw Andros's car in the driveway.

She went to the coffee table. She picked up the remote and turned off the TV and VCR. She put it back in its spot. She grabbed her purse off the floor. She headed to the front door. She opened it. She locked it before going outside. She closed it behind her. She walked to the car's passenger side and got in. She suppressed another yawn.

"Hey there, Ash," he greeted very happily. He observed her putting her purse on the floor.

"Hey yourself, Andros," she replied. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. She settled into her seat and buckled up. "Are you ready to get this appointment over with?"

"Oh, yeah," Andros said eagerly. He pulled out of the driveway. He drove down the street. "It's going to be great seeing the twins again."

"I know. Sometimes, I feel like this is all a dream and that I will wake up any second. I will find I am not pregnant, and we're still dealing with Johnny pestering me for a date," Ashley mumbled.

He showed sympathy. "But it's not a dream. We are expecting twins, and they are due on July 22."

She breathed deeply. "As long as I deliver as close to the due date as possible, they should be very healthy."

"Mm-hmm," Andros agreed. He looked in his rearview mirror. He saw a truck coming up on his bumper. The driver honked his horn twice. "Hey, I'm not going over the twenty-five-mile-per-hour speed limit on this road, bub."

"I wonder why he is such a hurry," Ashley said, looking out the back window at the truck.

"I don't know, and I don't give a shit," Andros declared as he stopped at the intersection. He flipped his blinker bar up, and the right blinker started flashing. He looked both ways. He tensed when the driver honked his horn twice. He glared at him in the rearview mirror. "Have some patience, you bastard! I need to look both ways!" He growled in frustration. "Damn it."

"I would love to give him a piece of my mind," Ashley said and looked ahead.

"So would I, Ash," Andros agreed, smirking as he turned to the road. "Maybe I can use my telekinesis to make his pants fall down."

Ashley smiled. "I'd enjoy seeing that."

Andros turned right, the blinker ceasing its flashing. The driver drove ahead quickly. He shot him a dirty look. He gazed at the rearview mirror with a soft growl.

"Good riddance, bastard," Andros shouted determinedly. "Someone needs to tell impatient people that life isn't designed to move fast, and no amount of making noise will make things go by quicker."

"Unfortunately, I don't think they'd listen," Ashley muttered regretfully.

"You're right. We can't point guns at them and demand they be patient or else," Andros commented, rubbing his nose.

"No, we can't. At least we are capable of being patient. Good things do come to those who wait," Ashley pointed out.

"That's the truth," Andros said, giving a sharp nod.

"Yep," Ashley agreed and squealed in delight.

"Yeah. Squeal yourself out," Andros encouraged, his face showing pride.

"I'd love to do that," Ashley said, clapping twice. They started talking about the growth of the twins since the last appointment.

00000

Andros pulled into the Angel Grove Memorial Hospital's parking lot twenty-seven minutes later. He parked in a space near the entrance. He turned off the engine. Ashley grabbed her purse and set it in her lap. They looked toward the top of the hospital to see a peregrine falcon perched on the edge of the roof.

"That's a pretty falcon," she said as they unbuckled their seatbelts.

"It sure is. It's probably looking for birds to eat," he said.

"I'm not hungry right now as I ate lunch nearly an hour ago, but it is possible I will get a craving for something while here," Ashley said thoughtfully.

"Who knows what that will be?" Andros wondered.

"Hmm," Ashley said, shrugging as they looked at each other. "Now, let's get this appointment over with." She rubbed her hands together.

"You got it, dude," Andros responded. "If you have a bad mood swing, you are more than welcome to yell at me." He smiled.

"I hope that doesn't happen, but thank you," Ashley said sweetly.

"No problem," Andros whispered, winking at her. "Come on."

Andros and Ashley exited the car. They walked over to each other and held hands. They made their way to the entrance. They entered the mostly empty waiting room, showing relief. They let go of each other. They approached the receptionist, who looked up.

"May I help you?" the receptionist wondered.

"My name is Ashley Hammond. I'm here to see Kai Chen for an ultrasound appointment. It's at one o'clock," Ashley answered.

"You are a little young to be having a baby, but I'm not going to give you a hard time," the receptionist said.

"Thank you," Ashley commented, smiling lightly.

"I'm Andros Parker. I'm the father. I brought her here," Andros added.

"Oh, that's nice," the receptionist said and held out his hand. "Could I see your health insurance information?"

"Oh, sure," Ashley said and reached into her purse. She got out her wallet and opened it. She pulled out the health insurance card. She handed it to him.

"Okay," the receptionist said, examining the information as he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote it down. He put the pen down and handed her card back to her. He saw her put it back in the wallet and close it. He looked at the computer. He typed in the expectant mother's name. He brought up her personal information, which included her obstetrician's name. "It says here that you had your first ultrasound done last month. You learned you were having twins."

"That's right," Ashley said, her face beaming with happiness.

"Congratulations," the receptionist replied, turning to her. "I hope you are being more careful. You are at more risk for complications."

"Oh, don't worry. She's being more careful," Andros assured.

"That's great. I'll let Dr. Chen know you are here," the receptionist commented, warmth echoing in his voice. "It might be a while before he sees you."

"We're fine with that," Ashley answered in a calm voice. She returned her wallet to her purse. "We're in no hurry."

Andros and Ashley walked over to chairs in the middle of the room. They sat down with light grunts. She set her purse on the floor. He looked over at a pile of magazines on the end table next to him. He grabbed the top one titled _All About Multiples_ and opened it to the fourth page. He focused his attention on eight-month-old identical triplet girls sitting up at the bottom of it.

"Ashley, look at this," Andros said, showing his girlfriend the magazine. "It says the chances of having identical triplets is one in ten thousand."

"Whoa. That's really small," Ashley exclaimed.

He raised his eyebrows. "Imagine if we had triplets after having twins. The chance of that happening would be even smaller."

"If we do have triplets, let's pray it's when the twins are old enough to help us with them. Our families will help, but it'd be nice if the twins could do that too," Ashley commented hopefully.

"Mm-hmm," Andros agreed. He looked at the top of the fifth page. "It says here that ninety-one percent of triplets are born prematurely. Forty-one percent of them are born very preterm."

She tensed somewhat. "That's very scary."

"I know," Andros commented and gazed at the middle of the page. "It says here that eighty-eight percent of triplets are delivered by C-section. A planned C-section won't significantly increase or decrease the risk of fetal or neonatal death or serious neonatal disability in the case of multiples."

"If I have to have a C-section, then I will just have to deal with it. Vaginal birth is best, but C-sections can save the lives of babies when they are in distress," Ashley said and yawned.

"If you do end up having a C-section, why do I get this feeling you will told you didn't really give birth?" Andros asked, nervousness crossing his face.

"Let people judge me if that happens. I'd rather our babies be saved by C-section than die through vaginal delivery if complications arise," Ashley said, firmness lining her voice.

Andros smiled. "That's my girl."

Andros kissed Ashley's cheek. They turned to the magazine and whispered inaudible words.

00000

Andros and Ashley were reading the fourth page of a magazine called _Feeding Your Baby_ he was holding twenty-six minutes later. They had their attention on a picture of a nine-month-old baby being fed strained bananas by its mother in a high chair at the bottom of the page. They didn't notice seventy-nine-year-old Agnes Olach approach the chair next to the end table and sit down. She set her cane against its side.

Agnes ran her hand over her face. As a Caucasian, she was rather pale. She was tall with a somewhat heavyset frame. Her eyes were light blue, and her short white hair was curly. Her face had so many wrinkles that someone could draw a map on it. She looked at Andros and Ashley, whom both mumbled inaudible words. She turned away from them.

"It says here babies can start eating solid foods at four to six months old," Andros whispered with much warmth. "It's best they eat semi-liquid, iron-fortified cereal and pureed fruits, vegetables, and meat."

"That's fine with me," Ashley answered, patting his shoulder. "It also says a baby should still drink breastmilk." She snorted.

"One of the signs a baby is ready to eat solid food is having the ability to hold its head up and sit upright in a high chair. Another is showing significant weight gain. Two others are being able to open and close its mouth around a spoon and move food from front to the back of the mouth," Andros said, running his tongue over his teeth.

"That is such a cute baby there," Ashley cooed, wrapping her arm around his. She kissed his cheek. "It'd be so cool to meet the parents who agreed to participate in the taking of their pictures for these articles."

"I agree," Andros said, pulling his arm away from hers and putting it around her shoulder. He kissed her temple. "Perhaps someone will ask us if our twins can participate in a diaper commercial."

"That'd be so cool," Ashley squeaked excitedly. "I wouldn't care if we got paid for it or not. I'd be glad our children could be part of something big."

"It reminds me of the _Rugrats_ episode called 'Baby Commercial.' Tommy was confused at how Phil and Lil could be sitting beside him and inside the TV in their diaper commercial at the same time," Andros said, rubbing her arms gently. "Phil and Lil explained how it happened."

"Phil and Lil are fraternal twins. If Lil wasn't wearing her bow, they could be mistaken for identical twins. They said they traded places all the time and that no one noticed," Ashley whispered with a giggle.

"Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are fraternal twins. They look identical, but they aren't. They shared the role of Michelle Tanner on _Full House_ for eight years," Andros said, smiling.

"I couldn't tell which twin was playing Michelle at what time in any episode. In a few episodes, they did share the screen. Part two of 'Michelle Rides Again' comes to mind," Ashley pointed out.

"That was a great two-part series finale. I wonder if a spinoff series will ever come about," Andros said thoughtfully.

Agnes looked at the couple. She had listened to every word they had spoken. She took a hold of her cane.

"So, you two are having twins?" Agnes asked.

Andros looked at her along with Ashley. "Yes, ma'am. We are."

"Then where are your rings?" Agnes asked rudely.

Ashley showed disbelief. "What are you talking about, lady?"

"Your wedding rings! Where are they?" Agnes hissed irritatingly.

"Well, we don't have them," Ashley answered honestly. "In fact, we're not married. We're only in high school."

Agnes grew angry. "You immoral degenerates! You need to have your children taken away from you once they are born!" She stood up and approached the couple. "I bet that young man isn't even the father of your twins!"

"Hey, I am the only man my girlfriend has ever been with!" Andros retorted defiantly. "She'd never cheat on me!"

"That's what this little slut wants you to think," Agnes said, glaring at Ashley. "I bet you've slept with so many men that you don't even know who the father or fathers of your twins are. Fraternal twins can have two fathers."

"I'm not that kind of girl, lady," Ashley hissed in fierceness. "I love my boyfriend, and he loves me. On the other hand, you look like you've never had a husband or children."

"Oh, I did have both. My ex-husband and children left me and have gotten in trouble many times since then. If I didn't control them, then they would have gotten in trouble much sooner," Agnes said, flaring her nostrils. "You two proved your immorality by conceiving your children out of wedlock. I bet your parents encouraged it."

"This isn't the 1950s. Couples don't have to be married to be good parents," Ashley said firmly.

"Yes, they do. You are horrible parents for not marrying first," Agnes growled and acted as if she were spitting at the floor.

"The only horrible one here is you, Ms. Olach," a male voice said.

Agnes cringed somewhat. She turned around to see Kai standing a short distance away from her. He approached her with a folder in his hands. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Well, well, if it isn't Kai Chen, the obstetrician who has cared for so many teen mothers," Agnes sneered. "All of them showed their immorality by having their children out of wedlock."

"You need to leave these young people alone, especially Ashley. She is my patient and is in a more delicate condition than most first-time mothers are. Neither she nor Andros have done anything to you," Kai said in firmness.

"Yes, they have. They conceived their twins out of wedlock. If they had any morality, they would've married first. I doubt Andros is even the father," Anita growled maliciously.

"Oh, he is very much the father of those twins," Kai said defiantly. "You think every teen mother I see sleeps around. Well, it's not true. The majority of teen mothers I've seen have had sex with only the teen fathers of their children." He scoffed angrily. "You need to lay off."

"I won't lay off when you condone all this immorality. Children are meant to be born within the bounds of marriage," Agnes said.

"That may have applied to the old days, but they are long gone. Things are different now. Children born out of wedlock are more accepted. They are no different from those who are born in wedlock. Nobody is perfect, not me, not these young people, not you," Kai retorted, breathing deeply to stay calm.

Agnes turned on her heel and walked to a chair next to the entrance. She sat down with a loud grunt. Kai approached Andros and Ashley.

"That old woman is crazy," Ashley mumbled annoyingly.

"I've been dealing with her ever since I took on my first teen patient. I run into her in public sometimes, but it's not often," Kai said.

Andros sighed in relief and stood up. "That's good."

"It's great to see you again, Kai," Ashley commented happily. She grabbed her purse and rose to her feet.

"It's great to see you and Andros too, Ashley," Kai answered warmly. "Are you ready to get this second ultrasound done?"

"You bet," Andros said in excitement.

Kai smiled. "Great. Come on."

Andros, Ashley, and Kai walked to the door heading into the hallway. They started going down it.

"Before we do the ultrasound, I'm going to weigh Ashley first. I want to see if she's gained any weight since the last time I saw her," Kai commented.

Ashley took a deep breath. "That's fine with me."

Andros touched her shoulder. "She looks like she still weighs one hundred twenty pounds as she stated in her personal information."

"That's to be expected in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Morning sickness tends to minimize weight gain. In fact, some mothers lose a pound or two. Because Ashley is carrying twins, she will need to put on more weight than usual. There's extra blood volume, amniotic fluid, and water weight from carrying multiples. It's not uncommon for a woman carrying twins to lose thirty pounds two weeks after giving birth. All the excess fluid is eliminated," Kai explained.

"Wow," Ashley said, her face showing much awe.

The trio stopped at the third room on the right. Kai let out a soft snort. He opened the door and flipped the switch, flooding it with light. The medium-sized room had a weight scale in the middle of it. A counter with cabinets and drawers was off in the corner. Two chairs were next to it.

The couple walked in, followed by the obstetrician. Kai closed the door behind him. He went to the counter to lay the folder there. The couple stopped in front of the chairs. Ashley set her purse in the first one. They turned around as Kai went to the scale. He motioned for her to get on it. She approached it and stepped on it.

Ashley placed her hands at her sides. Kai stepped in front of her and moved the second weight to one hundred. He moved the first weight to twenty, but it remained unbalanced. He moved it to twenty-one, only for it not to work. The same happened with twenty-two and twenty-three. He moved it to twenty-four, and it balanced out. He smiled proudly.

"You've gained four pounds since the last time I saw you," Kai said, going over to the counter. He opened the folder before getting out his pen. He wrote down the result. "You can step off the scale now."

"Okay," Ashley said, stepping off the scale. She saw him go over to it and set the weights back in place. "So, are we going to do the ultrasound now?"

"Yes, we are," Kai said, putting his pen back in his pocket and closing the folder. He picked it up.

"Before we do the ultrasound, could I go to the bathroom first?" Andros asked.

"Sure, Andros," Kai answered, gazing at him.

"Thanks," Andros said, a smile forming on his face. "I won't be gone long."

"We'll wait for you," Ashley said, going to the chair to get her purse. She and Kai watched the young man leave. She went to him. They started talking about pregnancy weight gain.

00000

Andros, Ashley, and Kai approached the ultrasound room five minutes later. Kai opened the door. He flipped the switch, which flooded the room with light. The couple walked in, followed by the obstetrician. Kai closed the door behind him. He ran his hand over his hair.

Andros and Ashley stopped in front of the chairs. She laid her purse in the first one. They turned toward Kai as he went to the counter and laid the folder down. He approached the bed. He motioned for her to come sit on it. She went over to the stool to climb up. She turned around, sitting on the edge. She looked at him.

"So, how are your bouts of morning sickness?" Kai asked, his eyes showing curiosity.

"They aren't that bad," Ashley answered with a relieved sigh. "The prenatal vitamins help a lot. So do the crackers." Her expression turned to sadness. "Unfortunately, I did get sick right after breakfast this morning."

"I was just walking by the bathroom when I heard her throwing up. I rushed in and held her hair back until she finished. She was fine after that. I moved in with her and her parents after we got back from our Christmas stay at her aunt's cabin. We stayed there for four days," Andros explained.

"Before then, we stayed a full weekend in October," Ashley said, eyeing her boyfriend as he came to her side and took her hand into his. "That's where our twins were conceived."

Kai became awed. "Oh, I see. Brittany's parents told me I could move in with them, so I could be closer to her and An-Mei. I was flattered, but I declined because I wasn't comfortable with it. They understood." He shrugged.

"Oh, that's good," Andros said, his voice filled with warmth.

Ashley smiled. "So, how did your vacation in New York City go? An-Mei told us that she, you, and Brittany were heading there for Christmas."

"Oh, it was great. We visited many landmarks, including the World Trade Center," Kai said in great happiness. " _The Lion King: The Broadway Musical_ was incredible. The actors did great in their roles, especially when they sang. Who would've thought a Disney film about lions could be brought to such dazzling life?"

Andros laughed cheerfully. "If I could visit New York City for just one day, I'd go see the musical."

"Me too," Ashley squeaked, clapping three times. "Anyway, I should tell you that I've been having cravings for weird food combos."

"Fries and ranch dressing is one of them. I gave her both when she was hanging out with the rest of the gang during one of my shifts at the Surf Spot. She was getting a craving for them. I just had them to get for her," Andros added.

"Ah. Have you made any trips to any fast-food places in the middle of the night yet, Andros?" Kai wondered.

"No, but Ashley has had a few cravings from fast-food places," Andros responded, giving his girlfriend's hand a gentle squeeze. "I was more than willing to get whatever she was craving."

"Great," Kai said with much warmth.

Ashley suppressed a yawn and rubbed her eyes. Andros pulled her hair behind her neck before patting her hand. He released his hold on it.

"I was wondering. What medications for antepartum depression do you have?" Ashley asked. "I'm not suffering from it, but I'd like to know if I develop it."

"There is a lot of debate over taking anti-depressants during pregnancy due to possible risks to unborn children. We have sertraline and paroxetine. The former is the safest while the latter is the riskiest. They're prescribed only in the case of severe depression. Mild or moderate depression can be managed with psychotherapy, yoga, meditation, etc.," Kai explained.

"Okay," Ashley said, nodding.

"Now, let's get this ultrasound over with," Kai said, rubbing his hands together.

"Yes, let's do that," Ashley answered eagerly.

Kai removed his stethoscope from his neck. He put it in his ears and went over to a drawer to open it. He took the sphygmomanometer before closing it. He approached Ashley's right arm. He put its sleeve around it just above the elbow. He put the stethoscope just below the sleeve while licking his lips. He pumped it up until it was tight.

The sphygmomanometer's tightness on Ashley's arm lessened little by little. The needle went down, settling on one hundred seventeen over seventy-seven. Kai released the air in the sphygmomanometer. He took the stethoscope out of his ears to put it around his neck. He took off the sphygmomanometer and returned it to its drawer. He grabbed his pen from his pocket. He opened the folder to write down the result.

"Your blood pressure is good," Kai announced. He opened the cabinet above him. He grabbed a bottle fill with gel. "I'm sure you're ready to deal with the probe's coldness."

"Oh, yes," Ashley said, chuckling to herself.

Kai closed the folder before turning off the lights. Ashley moved back a bit. She laid down and lifted her blue long-sleeved shirt. He returned to her side and squirted the gel on her lower abdomen. He took it back to the cabinet. He put it up. He came back and switched on the ultrasound. He pressed the probe against her abdomen, causing her to wince a bit. Andros and Ashley looked over at the ultrasound. They saw an image of the twins, which showed them one above the other. The faces showed great awe.

"Wow. The twins have grown a lot since last month," Ashley exclaimed.

"They sure have," Andros commented, taking her hand into his.

"You can see the first's baby head right there," Kai said, motioning toward the top of that baby. He gestured toward the underside. "You can see its body here, especially the legs." He moved his finger toward its chest, tapping it on its beating heart. "Its heartbeat is very strong."

"Wonderful," Andros said happily.

"Here are the baby's hands," Kai said, moving his finger to the baby's hands. "It's growing normally." He turned to Andros and Ashley. "I should tell you that some mothers didn't even know they were having twins until they gave birth."

Andros expressed shock. "Really?"

Kai nodded at him. "Mm-hmm. The mothers thought they were expelling the placenta when they ended up delivering their second babies."

Andros and Ashley looked at each other, laughing softly. They thought it was neat that some mothers had twins by surprise. They wondered if that would happen to them. That was if they had any more children. They shifted their attention back to the screen. Kai moved the probe down a little bit.

"Here is the second baby's head," Kai said as he motioned toward the top of that baby.

Andros chuckled, as did Ashley. "Wow."

"Here's the rest of its body, including its legs," Kai commented while gesturing toward the underside. He motioned toward the chest, showing its beating heart. "Its heartbeat is as strong as the other baby's."

Ashley squealed joyfully. "That is wonderful."

"Here are this baby's hands," Kai commented, moving his finger to the baby's hands. He smiled as he looked at Ashley. "It's also growing normally."

"I pray to God that the twins keep growing normally," Ashley whispered hopefully.

"As do I," Andros agreed and kissed her temple.

"Would you two like to hear the babies' heartbeats?" Kai wondered.

"Sure," Andros and Ashley answered, their faces beaming with eagerness.

Kai laughed. "I thought you would."

Kai looked at the keyboard and pressed four keys. Suddenly, the ultrasound played the twins' heartbeats. He gazed at the couple. Andros and Ashley felt tears coming to their eyes.

"This feels so unreal," Ashley whispered, sniffling softly.

"It does, but those are our twins' heartbeats. They are really strong," Andros said, tightening his grip on her hand somewhat.

"I should tell you that a baby's heart beats at one hundred forty times per minute while in the womb. Newborns have a heart rate of one hundred to one hundred fifty beats per minute. They are so small that their hearts have to beat faster to move blood through their bodies," Kai explained.

"That's interesting," Andros said.

"I'm sure you've had parents freak out when they saw their babies' heartrates were higher than theirs were," Ashley suggested.

"I've dealt with that countless times," Kai responded truthfully and turned to the keyboard. He tapped the same keys. The ultrasound became quiet. He shifted his attention back to Andros and Ashley. "It'd take me a minute to calm them down. I can't blame them because they are concerned how their children are doing." He shrugged.

"What loving parent wouldn't be?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah," Kai agreed and tried to suppress a yawn, but he couldn't help himself. "Now, let's get the rest of this ultrasound done."

"Oh, yes," Andros and Ashley answered in happiness.

Kai smiled and gazed at the screen along with Andros and Ashley. He moved the probe up some. He spoke inaudible words while motioning toward the first baby's underside.


	96. Kick It All Around

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. I made changes to chapter thirty-six about Ashton and Anna's health care plan. I decided to have co-pay not be required for it. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-seven.

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Chapter 96: Kick It All Around

Andros and Ashley were looking over ultrasound pictures of the twins while sitting in the chairs twenty-eight minutes later. He was holding his while hers were in an envelope in her lap. He had one in his. Her purse was underneath her chair. Kai wrote down notes in his folder. He closed it and grabbed his notepad from the pocket of his white coat. He began writing down something. The couple laughed as they gestured at a picture.

"The twins are quite clear in this one," Andros said, tapping his finger on the first baby. "I can see this baby's hand."

"Here's this baby's hand," Ashley said, touching the second baby.

"I've read about ultrasound pictures showing twins holding hands in the womb," Andros commented in awe.

"Me too," Ashley responded. "In cartoons, multiples actually fight in their mothers' wombs."

"That is weird," Andros said matter-of-factly. "On _The Simpsons,_ Bart lit Homer's tie on fire just after he was born." He scoffed. "That could never happen in real life."

Ashley yawned. "I know. Human babies are helpless when they are born. On average, it takes them a year to learn how to walk."

"Humans take care of their offspring longer than any other animal does," Andros said thoughtfully. "It takes twenty-five years for the human brain to fully mature." He tapped his temple with his finger.

"Yes, but some humans never mature, no matter how old they get. I read a story about a sixty-year-old man who still lives with his parents and never had a job. He is waiting for them to kick the bucket, so he can have their house," Ashley muttered angrily.

Andros hissed frustratingly. "Previous generations have the gall to call young people lazy and entitled."

"So true, Andros," Kai said as he finished his writing. He tore the paper off before slipping his notepad into his coat pocket. He grabbed the folder. He went to the couple. "I got called lazy and entitled a lot when I was young. In fact, some people have said I should replace my wife with a younger, hotter woman."

"No way," Ashley said in shock.

"I'm not kidding," Kai answered honestly. "They've called Brittany old and used up simply because she is thirty-five. They've told me I should look for a twentysomething woman if I want more children. I respond that I would never do such a thing to my wife. I didn't marry her because she was pretty. Nor did I marry her because she could give me children. I married her because I love her and vice versa. Just because a woman is young doesn't mean she is fertile. Nor is she prettier."

"That's right," Andros agreed. "The prettiest people can have the ugliest personalities. Johnny is a good example. He is handsome, but he is rude, conceited, hateful, obnoxious, and uncaring. He wanted to date Ashley because of her beauty, not her personality. He would've gone after a prettier girl once he found her. If he gets a girl pregnant, I can see him playing no part in his child's life or trying to mold it into a replica of him."

Kai rolled his eyes. "What a dumbass. Someone needs to give him a swift kick to the pants."

Andros patted his pictures and straightened them. He picked up the envelope and put them inside. He closed it before laying it in his lap.

"It's true a woman's fertility peaks by the time she is twenty-seven and begins to decline afterward. She doesn't experience a sharp drop until after she turns forty. No two women have the same level of fertility at any age. Some women begin trying to have children in their twenties, but it takes them years to conceive. Some begin trying in their thirties and have no problem conceiving," Ashley commented softly.

"Mothers of advanced maternal age are at more risk for complications, but most do deliver healthy babies. Having a healthy lifestyle does help reduce them," Kai said, scratching the back of his hand.

"Have you and Brittany thought about having more children?" Andros wondered.

"Actually, we haven't," Kai answered and tucked the folder under his arm. "We can afford to have another child, but we're quite happy with just An-Mei. Many teen mothers I've seen were from well-off families."

"Oh, I see," Ashley whispered in amazement.

"Anyway, here's the date I want to see you next month, Ashley," Kai said, handing her the paper.

Andros and Ashley looked at the paper, which had February 18 at two-thirty written on it. They looked at him and gave him nods of approval.

"This date is good, Kai," Ashley said, warmth lining her voice. She grabbed her purse and set it in her lap. She placed the envelope inside.

"We'll let Mr. Freeman know about it," Andros added, a big smile forming on his face.

"Great," Kai replied happily. He saw the couple rise to their feet and heard loud grunts come from them. "The second trimester is when Ashley will start packing on the pounds. If she can gain twenty more pounds by the twenty-fourth week, she has a good chance of avoiding pre-term labor."

"I will try my hardest to gain the appropriate amount of weight," Ashley whispered hopefully. "That doesn't mean I'm going to gobble down junk food like it's candy." She shuddered in disgust. "It's not good for the babies."

"It's not, but having junk food here and there doesn't hurt. Brittany ate some from time to time. An-Mei was born completely healthy," Kai pointed out.

"I see," Andros said, nodding slowly. "Anyway, thank you so much for taking the ultrasound pictures." He held up his envelope.

"It means the world to us that we can have them," Ashley added.

"No problem," Kai said with much warmth. "You two deserve them. After the twins are born, you can look back and talk about how tiny they were when you first saw them." He winked at them.

"Well, let's get out of here," Ashley suggested.

Kai went to the door, followed by Andros and Ashley. He opened it and walked into the hallway. His patient and her boyfriend went next. He closed it as they headed toward the waiting room. He saw them look over their shoulders and wave to him. He waved back and went left. The couple stopped at the receptionist's desk next to the doorway. He looked up.

"So, how did the ultrasound go?" the receptionist asked.

Ashley smiled in happiness. "It went very well."

"The twins are still growing normally," Andros added and showed his envelope. "We got some pictures too."

The receptionist chuckled. "Oh, I see."

"Here is my next appointment," Ashley said, handing him the paper.

"Okay," the receptionist said as he looked at it. He laid it down and turned toward the computer. He pressed five keys and brought up a calendar. He switched it to February and typed in her name and her appointment on the given date. He turned to her. "There. You are all set."

Andros nodded at him. "Thanks. We'll see you later."

Andros was about to go into the waiting room when Ashley cleared her throat. He looked at her.

"I'm sorry, Andros, but I really need to go to the bathroom," Ashley said, gesturing down the hallway in front of her and her boyfriend.

"Okay," Andros answered. "I'll wait right here."

"You better, or I will punch your lights out," Ashley warned in playfulness.

"Just go!" Andros blurted out in mock annoyance. "I want to get home."

Ashley laughed aloud. She kissed Andros's cheek and went down the hallway. She entered the women's restroom, which happened to be the second room on the right. He placed his hand on the counter and tapped his fingers on it.

00000

Andros was still waiting for Ashley six minutes later. He mouthed the lyrics to Phil Collins's _Two Worlds._ The receptionist was talking to a young woman on the phone. He nodded as he finished with her. He hung up and turned to the computer. Just then, Ashley walked up to the counter. Andros and the receptionist looked at her.

"You took long enough. Did the toilet monster jump up and try to eat you?" Andros teased.

"Yes, it did. I kicked it into oblivion," Ashley answered with proudness.

"Wonderful," the receptionist said, happiness radiating from his face. Andros and Ashley gazed at him. "Those toilet monsters can be such a hassle." He chuckled softly. "This is especially true when they are hungry or annoyed by people sitting on the toilets."

"Yeah," Andros agreed and turned to Ashley. "Come on. Let's head home."

Andros and Ashley went into the waiting room. They saw Agnes still sitting in the same spot. She glared at them, and they stopped in their tracks close to her.

"Did you see your twins on the ultrasound, you ungrateful little brats?" Agnes leered rudely.

Andros expressed defiance. "Yes, we did see them on the ultrasound."

"We're not ungrateful little brats," Ashley added, trying to keep calm. "We're young adults. We are more mature than most people our age."

"If you were really mature, you would've waited until after you were married to have sex. You can call your twins babies all you want, but they will always be abominations because they were conceived out of wedlock," Agnes said, picking up her cane and shaking it at the couple.

"You should never have been able to have children," Ashley growled irritatingly. "You were so cruel to yours."

Agnes hissed and put her cane into the floor. "What's cruel is you did not wait after until you were married to conceive your twins like you were supposed to. Having a baby before you are married is immoral."

"That's your belief. We're fine with it. We don't want you forcing it down our throats. Moreover, it will never take away the fact that our babies were conceived in an act of love," Ashley said in anger. "That's something you will never understand."

"While we have a happy life together, you will die alone with only your bitterness to keep you company. You have no one but yourself to blame," Andros added bluntly.

Ashley showed determination. "That's right. We have a little advice for you. Back the fuck off, and leave us alone."

"What awful language. You need your mouths washed out with soap," Agnes sneered.

"If there is one thing we know, it's the animals that live around here are more compassionate than you can ever hope to understand," Andros said, pointing his finger at her. "In fact, here is a little gift from us to you."

Andros and Ashley gave Agnes the finger. They saw her get angry, but they didn't care. They put their hands at their sides and went out the exit. They went to his car. They got in and buckled up. She placed her purse on the floor. He gave her his envelope. She opened the glove compartment. She put the envelope inside before closing it. They looked at each other.

"I loved that angry look Agnes formed on her face when we flipped her off," Ashley said, clapping twice.

"I did too. She deserved it big time for the horrible things she said about our little ones," Andros commented in bluntness.

"Maybe we should moon her the next time we see her and have to deal with her rants," Ashley suggested, holding up a finger. "I bet that would piss her off even more."

"How about we add a fart to that? She deserves to stink," Andros added.

"Great idea," Ashley said with a snicker.

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. He settled back into his seat before taking her hand into his.

"It was so great to see the twins on the ultrasound again," he said, tears coming to his eyes. "Even better is we got to listen to their heartbeats."

"They sounded so strong," she exclaimed. "On top of that, I am determined to gain the appropriate amount of weight to continue to maintain their good health." She giggled. "Don't be surprised if they knock anything you put on my stomach off because they're moving around so much."

"I won't," Andros responded, smirking. "I'll just put stuff on top of your head or on your shoulders."

"That's what you think," Ashley retorted playfully.

Andros growled in mock anger. "You're mean."

"And proud of it. Don't you try to change me," Ashley warned, shaking her finger at him.

"I won't," Andros promised.

Ashley squeaked gleefully. "Thank you."

He brought his hand up to touch her cheek. He stroked it with his thumb so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even doing that.

"I feel so fortunate to be with you during your appointments," Andros whispered, his voice showing relief. "If I couldn't, I'd be worrying about the twins' health like crazy." He appeared nervous.

"We are so lucky to have been born during a time when teen parents have resources to help themselves and their children," Ashley said with a soft gulp. "Had we been around in the old days, it's likely we would've dropped out of high school to marry. By marrying, we wouldn't have had to face the stigma of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy."

"Back then, you could drop out of school to help your family if they needed it. Nowadays, having a high school diploma is required for most jobs," Andros pointed out in seriousness.

"I honestly believe most people who dropped out of high school in previous generations regret it," Ashley commented.

"If they want to, they can get a GED. It allows high school dropouts to get better jobs," Andros said.

"That reminds me of Jesse in _Full House._ He dropped out of high school, but he returned and got his GED," Ashley said, sighing softly. "His obsession with his hair and Elvis Presley always makes me laugh."

"It makes me laugh too," Andros said, smiling lightly. "Anyway, what do you say we head home?"

"I say let's do it," Ashley said, letting go of his hand. She balled her hands into fists and punched at the air. "Let's go on the double!"

"Okay. Here we go," Andros said, rubbing his hands together. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. He drove down the street.


	97. Getting Back and A Little Yogurt

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has plenty of Andros/Ashley. Angel Grove High School will be returning within the next several chapters. After that, the teen parent support group will make its first appearance. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-eight.

XXXXX

Chapter 97: Getting Back/A Little Yogurt

Chapter 97: Getting Back/A Little Yogurt

Andros observed two young women rollerblading down the neighborhood sidewalk twenty-five minutes later. Ashley looked over ultrasound pictures of the twins. He reached the intersection, stopping quickly. She straightened them and grabbed her envelope that laid in her lap. She put them inside closed it. She got her purse from the floor to place it there.

He pushed the blinker bar down. The left blinker began flashing. He looked both ways before turning left. The blinker's flashing came to a stop. She looked out her window to see two young men going down the sidewalk on skateboards. Two young women followed them close behind on rollerblades. She spotted them as well. She placed her purse in her lap.

"What dashing young people," Ashley said, sweetness lining her voice.

"Oh, yeah," Andros agreed. They looked toward the street. "I could never get the hang of riding a skateboard. Neither could Zhane and Karone. We kept falling off." He showed embarrassment at that memory.

"TJ and Carlos did their best in trying to teach you three skateboarding as they did that a lot when they were little boys," Ashley replied, adjusting her red headband. "Just because you three never got good at it doesn't mean you're failures."

He groaned. "It astounds me when parents force their kids to keep practicing things they will never be good at. Even worse, they'll get on their case for resting from doing activities." He moved his hands to the sides of the steering wheel.

"Those parents know their children will burn out from doing activities eventually. They just don't care. They want them to win at all costs. They basically live through them," she hissed angrily.

"When parents insist on a particular path, children often suffer. There is no way in hell that I will ever force our children to stick with something they don't want to do," he declared.

She sighed in relief. "Great."

Ashley leaned over and kissed Andros on the cheek. She rubbed it and settled back into her seat. He saw the Hammond residence coming into view. He turned right into the driveway and switched off the engine. They looked at each other.

"Today was such a great day," Andros said happily and laid his hands in his lap. "We saw how much the twins had grown since the last time we saw them on the ultrasound. We got to listen to their heartbeats."

"We learned some new things about unborn babies and newborns," Ashley said, laughing to herself. "Who would've thought their heartbeats would be much faster than ours were?"

"I'm grateful we know that fact now. I honestly believe I would've been freaking out that our kids' heartbeats were going so fast," Andros mumbled, cringing quite a bit.

Ashley showed nervousness. "So would have I. Parents just want to know if their children are okay, but that doesn't mean they should freak out over every little bad thing that happens to them."

Andros rolled his eyes. "It irritates me when parents hover over their children constantly. They don't want them doing this or that because they fear harm coming to them. I understand they want to protect them, but they can't protect them from everything. They need to let them live a little."

"I know," Ashley whispered, looking a little angry. "I remember when Grandma wanted to go with me when I told her I had to go back during Termitus's attack on the city. I told her no and that she was smothering me. She apologized. She stopped trying to hook me up with some kooky suitor after that, but that didn't stop her and my grandfathers from meddling in my other affairs."

"Like how we should raise our children," Andros said.

"Exactly," Ashley agreed. "I don't think they realize how much they hurt me when they told me to marry you or give the twins up for adoption." She wiped a tear from her eye. "It's been three weeks, and what they said still hurts. I don't think it will go away for a long while."

Andros reached over and took Ashley's hand into his. He squeezed it so lightly that it seemed that he hadn't.

"I know how much it hurt for your grandparents to give you that ultimatum. It hurt me to hear about it," he said.

"I don't think I will ever forget that angry voice of yours when I told you," she admitted. "I wish I could've seen your angry face."

"Oh, my face was a little red from my anger. At least I didn't throw the phone against the wall," Andros pointed out.

"I can imagine Mr. Johnson being annoyed he had to buy another phone because you wrecked the one you were talking to me on," Ashley said, giving a shrug.

"Me too," Andros agreed. "It's not TJ's father's annoyance I have to deal with now. It's your father's." He made a weird noise.

"Whatever you do, don't pull his finger," Ashley warned with a snicker. "He'll let out a fart so big that he'll stink up the whole house."

"How about you pull my finger?" Andros asked, pointing his finger at his girlfriend.

"No way. You'll let out a fart so big that you will stink up this car for weeks," Ashley exclaimed.

"Spoilsport," Andros muttered, taking it away.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ashley asked.

"A spoilsport," Andros commented.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ashley responded, giggling softly.

"A spoilsport," Andros said, a smirk crossing his lips.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ashley squeaked gleefully.

"A spoilsport," Andros blurted out.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ashley growled playfully.

"A spoilsport," Andros said.

The lovebirds laughed and leaned in to share three sweet kisses. They rubbed noses before pulling back to look at each other.

"You feel better now?" Andros asked, reaching over to touch her cheek.

"Mm-hmm," Ashley answered truthfully. "If there is one good thing about having twins, it's we can take on one of each."

"That's true," Andros agreed. "For example, one twin could be hungry while the other has a dirty diaper. You could feed the hungry one while I change the other."

"I hope you don't faint from the smelly diaper," Ashley joked and gave him two winks.

"In that case, you change the twin who has the dirty diaper while I feed the hungry one," Andros declared.

"Yeah, right," Ashley said sarcastically.

He smacked her upside the head. He yelled when she did the same to his in retaliation. They growled playfully at each other before smiling. She heard her stomach growl and rubbed it.

"I'm getting a craving for a bowl of frozen yogurt," she said, marking a slurping sound.

"How about you sit down in the living room while I fix you a bowl?" he suggested.

Ashley smiled. "Sure. Thanks."

Andros nodded at her. "No problem."

Andros and Ashley unfastened their seatbelts. She opened the glove compartment and grabbed his envelope. She handed it to him before closing the compartment. They exited the car and approached the front door. She reached into her purse to get her keys. She looked through them until she found the right one.

She unlocked the door and opened it, its hinges squeaking quietly. She slipped her keys back into her purse as she walked in. She stepped aside, allowing him to come in. She closed it, locking it. He approached the coffee table to lay his envelope on it. He headed into the kitchen as she went to the couch and sat down. She laid her purse on the coffee table.

00000

Andros pulled a scooper through a carton of plain frozen yogurt at the kitchen counter three minutes later. He got a decent-sized scoop and placed it in a bowl, which had a spoon in it. He put two more in it. He closed the carton, picking it up. He approached the refrigerator. He opened the freezer to put it inside before closing it with a slam.

Andros returned to the bowl to get it. He took it into the living room and went to Ashley. He handed it to her before sitting next to her. She grabbed the spoon and got a decent amount of yogurt on it. She put it into her mouth. She chewed quickly before swallowing with a loud gulp. She looked at him, a smile forming on her face.

"Thanks for the yogurt, Andros," Ashley said sweetly.

"You're welcome. Who would've thought an ultrasound appointment would give you a craving for yogurt?" Andros wondered.

"No kidding," Ashley commented, stirring the yogurt with her spoon. "Physical activity is well known for triggering hunger."

"The best way to beat hunger is to eat something very healthy," Andros said.

"Or drink a protein shake," Ashley added. "That helps muscles recover more quickly."

He raised an eyebrow. "So do protein bars."

She giggled. "Yep."

She got a small amount of yogurt onto her spoon before putting it in her mouth. She chewed it up and swallowed with a loud gulp.

"Frozen yogurt tastes so good," he said.

"You said it. My favorite flavor has always been plain. It has a texture to it that no other flavor has," she replied, smacking her lips.

Andros snorted. "My favorite flavor used to be chocolate. Now, it's plain."

"I hope it's because of me that plain is your favorite yogurt flavor," Ashley squealed cheerfully.

"Unfortunately, it's not," Andros said with a shake of his head.

"Aw! That hurts my feelings!" Ashley whined and began fake crying.

"Don't start the tears. I mean it," Andros warned.

Ashley wiped a fake tear away. "I'll always cry for you."

He knocked on her head, laughing at her swatting his fist aside. He made a honking sound when she tweaked his nose.

"Your nose just became a horn," Ashley joked, furrowing her brow.

"Yes, it did," Andros answered proudly. "It'll be great to warn drivers to back off when they ride my butt."

"As well as warn drivers when they come too close to you while you're biking," Ashley said, chuckling lightly.

"Oh, yeah," Andros said and nodded slowly. He gazed at the yogurt for a second. He turned back to her. "How about I feed you some yogurt?"

"Sure," Ashley replied, handing him the spoon and bowl. "Now, give me some yogurt. Chop, chop."

Andros pushed the spoon through the yogurt, getting some on it. He fed it to Ashley, who chewed it up and swallowed.

"I find it interesting that you can get brain freeze when you consume cold foods or beverages too fast," he commented curiously.

"I found that is caused by the cold food or drink touching the roof of the mouth or while swallowing it," she said, licking her lips.

He tapped the spoon on the side three times. "It can be cured by placing something warm against that spot."

"It's possible to have a brain freeze in either hot or cold weather because the effect relies on the temperature of the food or beverage being consumed," Ashley said.

"Mm-hmm," Andros replied.

"I've had so many brain freezes that I've lost count," Ashley admitted.

"I haven't had too many yet," Andros said and fed her a little more of her yogurt. "A typical brain freeze appears in ten seconds and lasts about twenty seconds." He snorted.

She showed. "That's very quick."

"Some people experience much longer episodes of pain," Andros pointed out.

"That's when they should apply warmth to the roofs of their mouth," Ashley commented matter-of-factly.

Andros nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

Andros stirred the yogurt a few times before feeding Ashley some more. He laid the spoon in the bowl.

"You want to experience a brain freeze?" Andros wondered.

"No, thank you," Ashley answered while shaking her head. "I'm not in the mood for a brain freeze today."

"Oh, come on!" Andros whined and pouted.

"Don't start the whining and pouting. I ain't changing my mind," Ashley said while crossing her arms and turning her nose upward.

"Don't say ain't. It's not a word," Andros warned sternly.

"You just said it!" Ashley blurted out in mock annoyance.

"Only because you made me!" Andros retorted with a laugh.

"I didn't make you do nothing!" Ashley yelled, growling with much playfulness as she uncrossed her arms.

"Hey, you're not supposed to use double negatives. It's an insult to the English language!" Andros shouted and narrowed his eyes at his girlfriend.

"Too bad," Ashley yelled, laughing with great glee. "I will use double negatives, anyway!"

Andros put the spoon into the bowl and laid it on the end table. He and Ashley balled their hands into fists. They shook them at each other. They hissed and made mean faces. They put their fists down before smiling at each other.

"You look cute when you make a mean face," Andros said.

Ashley pinched her boyfriend's chin. "As do you."

Andros leaned forward, kissing Ashley on the lips. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"I'm so happy to be with you right now," Andros whispered lovingly.

"So am I," Ashley responded, sighing contently. "You've gone from taking me to my ultrasound appointment to feeding me yogurt today."

"Mm-hmm," Andros said, pulling away to look her in the eye. "I hope you will feed me some yogurt for dessert tonight." He smiled.

"I'll do that. If you want me to, that is," Ashley commented, cupping his chin in her hand.

"Sure," Andros said, his smiling growing wider. "Just don't put any yogurt on my face in an attempt to turn me into Santa Claus." He laughed raucously, getting a mock-annoyed look from her.

"You're weird," Ashley said, blowing a raspberry.

"So are you," Andros said and grabbed the bowl from its spot. He took the spoon. "Now, let me feed you some more yogurt."

"Yeah!" Ashley yelled eagerly and opened her mouth. She received a spoonful of yogurt from him. She chewed it up and swallowed with a quiet gulp. He proceeded to feed her more.


	98. More Coffee and Big Snob

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here is chapter ninety-eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has Leo/Kendrix and Mike/Maya. After not featuring them for a while, I felt it was time to bring them back. Stay tuned for chapter ninety-nine.

XXXXX

Chapter 98: More Coffee/Big Snob

Biggs Café was a little crowded in the late afternoon. An elderly man entered while whistling loudly. He passed an employee mopping the floor. She took great care not to step on the wet spot. He went to the cash register. He became quiet. He clicked his tongue before smacking his lips. A cashier walked up to him. She smiled at him.

"Good afternoon, sir. What can I get you today?" the cashier wondered.

"I'd like coffee with sugar, ma'am," the man replied.

She nodded at him. "Sure."

The cashier walked to the coffeemaker behind her. She grabbed a mug from beside it. She got the kettle and poured coffee into the mug until it was nearly full. She returned the kettle to the coffeemaker. She got the sugar, pouring it in. She put it down. She grabbed a spoon to stir the contents. She tapped the spoon on the mug's side twice. She took it to the sink to lay it there. She went to the mug, picking it up. She returned to the man. She set it in front of her before typing in the price.

"That will be one dollar, sir," she said.

"Okay," he answered and grabbed his wallet from his pocket. He opened it get a dollar. He gave that to her. She typed in the amount and rung it up. He closed his wallet and returned it to his pocket.

"You won't be getting any change today," the cashier commented warmly. "Thank you. Have a nice day."

"You too, ma'am," the man said and got his mug. "Thank you for the coffee."

The man walked away from the cashier. He passed Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya who were sitting at a table next to the window. He took the one behind Leo and Kendrix and sat down. He sipped his coffee. He nodded in approval before putting it down.

Mike, Maya, and Kendrix listened to Leo talk about Brian's being sent to detention because he kept playing with Cassie's braids during Mr. Wilton's lecture on acid-base reactions. Mike picked up his cream-filled coffee to take a long sip. Kendrix mimicked both of his actions with her black coffee. They put them down. Mike shook his head after Leo finished.

"I swear, Brian needs to be locked up in detention for life. He seems to love it there," Mike said.

"No shit," Leo grumbled, showing irritation. "I really wanted to go over to his desk, pull him away from Cassie, and slap him silly. I didn't because it would've gotten me in trouble." He sighed heavily.

"It doesn't matter if you couldn't do what you said you wanted to do to Brian. What matters is Mr. Wilton punished him for his antics like he always does," Mike pointed out.

"What that troublemaker needs is a good kick to the ass," Kendrix hissed bluntly. "I'm willing to give it to him." She balled her hand into a fist and punched it into her other one.

"How about I help you with that, Kendrix?" Maya suggested.

"Sure, Maya," Kendrix said, nodding at her friend.

"Hey, don't forget us," Mike said, placing his hand over his heart.

"We want to help you with that too," Leo added.

"Okay," Kendrix replied, smiling. "After that, we'll flip Brian off on both hands."

"I will say, 'Up yours, asshole.' That's what he is," Leo commented, crossing his arms.

"Let's add Bianca, Tara, Johnny, and Veronica in there as well. They need to be kicked in their asses and flipped off," Kendrix added, rubbing her nose.

"Oh, yeah," the others agreed.

Kendrix shrugged. Leo and Maya picked up their sugar-filled coffees. They took small sips of them. They laid them down before smacking their lips. Mike looked toward the man, as did Maya. Leo and Kendrix looked over their shoulders at him.

"That man reminds me a lot of my and Leo's grandfather," Mike said, picking up his coffee and taking a small sip. He put it down before licking his lips.

"He sure does," Kendrix agreed. She and Leo turned back to Mike and Maya. "He might have lots of grandkids."

"He probably sees them often or very little," Leo said as he ran his finger up and down his mug's handle "It depends on how he treated his own children."

"Yep," Maya agreed.

Mike emitted a heavy sigh. "I feel bad for Ashley. Her grandparents had no right to demand she marry Andros or give up their babies for adoption." He looked toward Leo. "We're fortunate that our grandparents have never meddled in our lives. They do worry about us possibly getting caught in an earthquake since we live in California, though."

"And we worry about them getting caught in a tornado since they live in Kansas. That's right in the heart of Tornado Alley," Leo said seriously.

"It is, but Kansas doesn't get the most tornadoes. Texas does," Kendrix pointed out as she gazed at him.

Leo turned to her. "Let's pray that none of us ever get caught in a tornado."

"Of course," Kendrix agreed. She felt him put his arm around her to give her a hug. He let go of her as they looked at Mike and Maya.

"Mirinoi doesn't get tornadoes, but it does have forest fires," Maya said honestly.

"Have any come close to your village?" Kendrix asked, her eyes showing curiosity.

"No, but we have evacuated just in case. I've climbed trees and seen fires in the distance. The trees are so tall that they look like they are touching the sky," Maya explained.

"This state's redwoods are very tall as well. Some grow to a height of three hundred fifty feet," Mike said in amazement.

"It'd be cool to see a redwood up close," Maya said, turning to him.

"Yes, it would. Just don't make me climb one and jump off to see if I can fly," Mike joked with a playful growl.

Maya giggled. "You goofy boy."

Maya kissed her boyfriend's cheek. She received one to hers from him before smiling happily. They rubbed noses before pressing their foreheads together. Laughter diverted their attention, and they looked at Leo and Kendrix.

"You two should glue yourselves together, so you can never be apart," Leo suggested and snickered under his breath.

"I should bang you on your head until only it and your legs are sticking out of your chair," Mike retorted and made a mean face.

"Do it. I dare you," Leo taunted, waving his hand toward himself.

"Okay," Mike said and acted as if he were getting up and going over to his brother. He slipped his arm around his girlfriend. "At least Maya and I are a happy couple."

"That you are," Leo agreed, pointing his finger at the couple. He laid his hand on the table. "Just don't let Maya throw you out the window while she's on you-know-what."

"Hush up, Leo," Mike said, blowing a raspberry at him. "You better not let Kendrix do the same to you while she's on—well, you know."

"You boys are really cute when you won't say period," Maya whispered, a giggle leaving her mouth.

"Yep," Kendrix agreed.

"It's not exactly something you ladies talk about around guys," Leo mumbled and let out a nervous chuckle.

"How about you and Mike switch minds with Maya and me?" Kendrix suggested as she looked at him. "You two will be able to experience life as women." A big smirk crossed her face.

"No, thanks," Leo responded, glancing at her. He flicked her nose. "There is no way you can convince me to become a woman."

"The same goes for me. I could never handle being moody while on a period," Mike said, looking somewhat scared.

"What's the matter?" Kendrix asked mockingly as she and Leo turned to his brother.

"Are you two chicken?" Maya said, eyeing Mike.

The young women clucked as if they were chickens. They pretended to peck at the table. They turned quiet and placed their hands on their mugs. The young men laughed and shook their heads.

"You ladies would make such beautiful hens," Leo said.

"You guys would make such handsome roosters," Maya commented. She laughed when Mike crowed as if he were a rooster. "Now, that's a crow."

"Anyway, I hope Ashley's second ultrasound went well. I am anxious to know how the babies are doing," Leo said, clearing his throat.

"So are the rest of us, bro," Mike added.

"I can't help but wonder if Ashley will ever make up with her grandparents. She's still hurting from what they said," Kendrix whispered with much sadness.

Mike snorted in a soft manner. "Ultimatums suck big time. Unfortunately, some people give them in hopes others will give in to their demands." He balled his hand into a fist and banged it on the table in frustration. "It's not right."

"Yes, but blackmail is a very effective weapon. Some people have threatened to expose celebrities' deepest secrets if they didn't pay them a huge amount of money. Sometimes, celebrities caved in and paid them. Other times, they called the police and reported them for extortion," Kendrix explained.

"In the old days, fulfilling a child's emotional needs was considered unimportant. Many adults who grew up then have problems expressing their emotions in a healthy way. Today's parents know it is important for them to give their children emotional support. They shouldn't make them oversensitive, though," Leo said matter-of-factly.

Kendrix pressed her lips together. "My parents called me oversensitive whenever I cried. They always asked why I couldn't be tough like Erica was. I couldn't help crying. Erica was constantly bullying me with their encouragement."

"Talk about pieces of crap," Maya said, her voice filled with so much disgust that a little bile rose into her throat. She forced it back down.

"You said it, Maya," Mike agreed.

Leo looked at Kendrix. "No matter how much your sister says you are ugly, it will never be true. You are beautiful. Your beauty has grown since you ditched your glasses and let your hair down."

"It's all thanks to going to see Dr. Lyman, so I could get contacts," Kendrix said, happiness beaming from her face. "I had no idea that she was the older sister of the woman Mr. Richards cheated on his wife with."

Mike shrugged. "We humans learn something new every day."

"How about you kids learn to keep your mouths shut?" a female voice said snobbishly.

Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya winced loudly. They looked toward Veronica coming their way. The snob stopped next to their table. She had a black coffee-filled mug in her hand.

"Well, if it isn't Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya," Veronica sneered.

"What are you doing here, Veronica?" Kendrix demanded.

"I'm just getting a cup of coffee," Veronica said, putting her other hand on her mug. "I have as much a right to be here as you four do."

"Nobody said you didn't, but it's rude to butt in on other people's conversations," Leo retorted in seriousness.

"I can butt in on other people's conservations as much as I want to. You losers can't stop me. The biggest loser here is Maya. She's from another planet that has little technology. That's so stupid," Veronica said.

"My home planet is called Mirinoi," Maya retorted, narrowing her eyes at her. "It's a beautiful place with lots of jungles. My people may live a simple life there, but they're happy. Your version of happiness is putting down other people who aren't like you."

"It's no wonder you're alone all the time," Kendrix snapped.

"Oh, what a snippy comment from the orphan," Veronica leered as she shifted her attention to her. "Where are your glasses? Did you lose them?"

"No, I'm wearing contacts," Kendrix answered. "I got a prescription for them after going to an eye doctor. My friends and uncle say I look more beautiful without them."

"Keep telling yourself you are beautiful. It will never make it true," Veronica leered.

"Oh, Kendrix is beautiful. In fact, she is more beautiful than you can ever hope to be because she has something you don't have. It's a beautiful inner person," Leo commented.

"Your inner person is as ugly as shit," Mike said, bluntness lining his voice. "Even an average-looking girl would be more beautiful than you are when her beautiful inner person shines through." He gave a sharp nod.

"Give me a fucking break. How you look on the outside is more important than how you look on the inside," Veronica hissed fiercely. "You and all of your other friends are destined to be losers for the rest of your lives. Andros and Ashley are the biggest losers because they are teen parents to twin brats." She acted as if she were spitting at the floor.

"The only loser I see here is you, Veronica. You're such a spoiled brat that it's not funny," Maya growled angrily.

"Andros and Ashley will be great parents to their children. They will be together until the day they die. You will die all alone. That's what happens to snobs like you," Leo said, flaring his nostrils.

"Yeah, right," Veronica retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm leaving you losers in the dust."

Veronica turned on her heel and walked away. The group's eyes followed her. Suddenly, a middle-aged man stuck his foot out in her path, causing her to trip and land on her stomach. She spilt her coffee all over the floor and dropped her mug. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya laughed their heads off. Veronica made it to her knees. She glared at them over her shoulder, as they grew quiet.

"It's not funny," Veronica snapped.

"It may not be funny to you, but it is to us," Leo responded and emitted a loud huff. "You got a dose of karma delivered to you."

"You deserved it big time," Maya added defiantly.

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" Veronica yelled in anger. She pushed away the man who tripped her when he tried to help her up. She shot him a glare. "Get away from me, you bastard!"

Veronica rose to her feet and grabbed her mug. She stomped toward the register. She yelled to have her mug refilled. The employee took the bucket over to the mess. She proceeded to mop it up. Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya looked at each other.

"Veronica gets on my nerves so much," Maya hissed.

"As she does on ours," Mike said with a frustrated huff. "I'm glad her parents didn't have any more kids." He cringed badly. "They would've turned out just like her."

"Oh, yeah," Kendrix agreed. "The thought of mini-Veronicas running around makes my skin crawl too." She shuddered in disgust.

"She'll have to find a man first. Then again, she could convince a doctor to artificially inseminate her," Leo muttered fearfully.

"If she was under eighteen, she couldn't do that," Mike pointed out and emitted a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately, she isn't. She can legally do that."

"Who knows? She may not be able to have children at all," Maya whispered, giving a shrug.

"Enough about Veronica. Let's talk about something else," Mike suggested, picking up his coffee to take a long sip. He laid it down.

"I'm all for that," Leo agreed, clapping twice. He and the others began talking about high school graduation.


	99. In and Out

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter ninety-nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I plan to bring back Brittany and An-Mei in the chapter after the next one. I feel it's time for them to return. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred.

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Chapter 99: In and Out

Light rain fell on the Morgan residence in the early evening. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind, their leaves rustling loudly. An American robin sat on a branch near the top of a tree in the backyard. It ran its beak through its chest feathers before shaking its head. Another branch hit it in the back, causing it to chirp in annoyance.

The robin spread its swings and flew toward the house. It landed on a windowsill. It looked inside to see Kendrix sitting on her queen-sized bed reading her chemistry notes in her room. She glanced around the room, which was medium-sized with bright blue walls, a pine dresser, a hardwood nightstand, and a TV with a VCR embedded into it. Dark blue carpet covered the floor. A desk with a computer, a printer, a picture scanner, and a cable modem attached to the wall were next to the window.

Kendrix returned her attention to her notebook. She and her friends got emails from Ashley containing her second ultrasound's pictures. They were amazed to see how much the twins had grown since last month. They were glad to know the babies were growing normally and that the expectant mother's weight gain was on track. She printed all of them and showed them to Carl.

Kendrix finished reading the seventh page and turned her attention to the eighth one. She mumbled inaudible words while running her hand over her face. She tried to suppress a yawn, but she couldn't help herself. Just then, a knock on the door sounded. She looked toward it.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened with a slight squeak, and Carl came in. Kendrix smiled at her uncle as he closed it behind him. He walked to her side and placed his hands on his hips.

"Hi, Uncle Carl," Kendrix greeted.

"Hey, Kendrix," Carl said, sitting down on the bed. He noticed the notebook. "What a good girl you are studying your notes." He ruffled her hair.

"I may not have a test this week or next, but that doesn't mean I can't do any studying," Kendrix answered and closed it. "However, I feel I've done enough studying for tonight."

"I studied all the time when I was in school. I was determined to make great grades. Your father didn't study as much as I did, but he did make decent grades," Carl said, letting out a soft snort.

"Mom and Dad enjoyed bragging about Erica making wonderful grades. They never acknowledged mine, no matter how many times I pointed them out. They always went on and on about how Erica would be successful in life while I would be just a failure. They also said I would never have any friends either," Kendrix muttered sadly.

"But you do have friends. You hang out with them, especially Leo," Carl pointed out.

"I thank God every day that Cassie came to my rescue when she caught Tara bullying me in the cafeteria on the Monday that Ashley first experienced morning sickness," Kendrix said, choking back a sob. "It gave me a chance to get to know and her friends better. As a result, I gained confidence and befriended many people." She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Seventeen of your friends were once Power Rangers," Carl commented and touched her cheek. He stroked it with his thumb.

"Not once did I ever think ordinary human teens had been tasked with protecting the universe from evil," Kendrix said, giggling quietly. "I actually thought they were aliens from another world at one point."

"Speaking of aliens, Professor Phenomenus spent much of his time trying to prove anything could be in the disguise of one," Carl said, laughing as he remembered Phenomenus's attempts to find aliens.

"The last time we saw him was at the Angel Grove Aquarium's beluga exhibit the weekend after school started back," Kendrix whispered in thoughtfulness. "He said he was going to prove belugas were aliens from another world." She tried to stifle a snicker, but she couldn't help herself.

"Well, belugas do look like aliens with their round bodies and protruding melons," Carl said honestly.

"We told him the threat of evil aliens was gone, thanks to the Power Rangers. That didn't deter him, though," Kendrix said, breaking into a fit of giggles.

"Casey showed her annoyance with him by spitting water on him," Carl said and imitated a beluga's squeaks.

Kendrix's laughter got a little louder. She wondered if Phenomenus would ever stop his search for aliens. She did admire him for his determination. Even if he was a little strange, she saw him as very nice. She grew quiet and showed seriousness. Carl put his hand in his lap.

"Andros and Ashley told the gang they think about how they would've spent their first year of college had they not learned they were to be parents all the time the day after school started back," Kendrix whispered and sniffled.

"Don't most teen parents who haven't graduated from high school yet?" Carl said with a heavy sigh. "It doesn't seem so long ago when parents made their teens surrender their children for adoption."

She tensed badly. "I know. That wasn't right, but it was how society was at the time. Having children out of wedlock was a big no-no. Parents didn't want their picture-perfect image to be shattered."

"Then unwed teen parents began to go against their parents. They became determined to raise their children, even if they had to risk failing school to do so," Carl commented.

"As a result, alternative schools started helping teen parents with their education," Kendrix added.

He nodded at her. "Exactly.

"Mom and Dad told Erica they'd help her with her baby if she got pregnant while she was in high school," Kendrix mumbled, biting her lip. She inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly. "They told me my chances of having a boyfriend in high school were slim to none, but they'd throw me out if I got pregnant." She hissed with much anger.

"Talk about sick and disgusting," Carl growled, appearing just as angry.

"No shit," Kendrix said through clenched teeth. "For parents to tell one teen daughter they'd help her with her baby while telling the other they'd throw her out if she had one is the lowest of the low." She curled her hands into fists so tight that she'd break glasses if she were holding them. "Something tells me Erica would've dumped her baby on our parents, so she could go out and party. They would've had no problem with her staying out really late."

"I would've taken you in if your parents threw you out because you were pregnant. I would not have tolerated Erica's going out and partying while she had a baby to take care of," Carl said in determination.

Kendrix patted his shoulder. "Good for you."

He kissed her forehead. He placed his arm around her shoulder to give her a big hug. She responded by wrapping her arms around him and giving him a bigger one. They stayed this way for ten seconds before letting go of each other.

"My high school's teen parent program has helped so many teen parents. I wish one could be at every high school in the country," she commented.

"I do too. Many high schools think teen pregnancy should be hidden. They send the teen parents to alternative schools, so they won't have to deal with them. I don't think that's right, but it's what they believe," he said with a shrug.

"My friends and I heard several students complaining about how the teen parent program was giving teen parents special treatment at their expense just before second period started. They even said those unwed teen mothers' homes should be brought back," Kendrix said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Unwed teen mothers' homes weren't a big secret when I was young. Many teen girls I knew got pregnant out of wedlock. They were sent to those homes and forced to surrender their children for adoption," Carl said, tensing as he remembered all the times he heard parents had sent their pregnant teen daughters away.

"Older generations complain about how bad young people are, yet they ignore their own misdeeds. When I was sitting in the Downtown Square during my sophomore year, an elderly man came up to me and told me I was one of those useless youngsters. He said I would never amount to anything and that I would be living with my parents well into my thirties," Kendrix explained, her voice showing hints of anger. "I told him my parents were dead and that I was living with you. I told him he had a right to think what he wanted, despite that his beliefs weren't true. He called me stupid."

"An elderly man told me the same thing when I was a freshman in high school. I was studying for an algebra test in Biggs Café. My parents and I were having coffee at the time. Your father was hanging out with friends. Mom and Dad told the man he could believe what he wanted about young people, but he had no right to be ugly to me. I was proud of them," Carl said, happiness showing on his face.

"It's good that Grandma and Grandpa stuck up for you," Kendrix said with pride. "It's too bad they died in a car crash when I was two years old. My other Grandma and Grandpa never met Erica and me because they died of strokes six months before she was born."

"It's a shame," Carl whispered with much regret. "One thing is clear. No one messes with my family and gets away with it. Nope, nope, nope."

Kendrix pinched her uncle's cheek while speaking baby talk. Carl grabbed his niece's wrist and pulled her hand off. He placed it in her lap. He waved his hand in front of her face. He raised it high before jerking it down. She gave him a light slap to the cheek. She rushed two fingers forward. He blocked her by holding his hand sideways between his eyes. He pushed hers downward. They ruffled each other's hair before sharing a laugh.

"It's so much fun doing that _Three Stooges_ routine with you," she yelled gleefully.

"You said it," he agreed. "My parents didn't joke around all that much, but they were capable of being very funny. So were your mom's parents."

"Anyway, I'm looking forward to the birth of Andros and Ashley's twins. Everyone keeps wondering who they will look like," Kendrix exclaimed.

"I remember when Jesse wanted to find out the sex of his and Becky's baby in _Full House._ The episode was called 'Double Trouble.' They learned they were having twins following the ultrasound. He was so shocked," Carl said, laughing aloud.

"That's nothing," Kendrix said, shaking her head. "Jesse fainted when he learned he and Becky were having a baby in 'Rock the Cradle.' At least Nicky and Alex were born healthy and strong in 'Happy Birthday, Babies.' Jesse was a little loopy when he got out of surgery to have his appendix removed, though."

Carl stopped laughing and became serious. "Had he not had his appendix removed, it could've burst and resulted in serious complications."

"That's true," Kendrix agreed, sighing heavily. "Leo told me once that men are less likely to get medical treatment for ailments because they don't want to be seen as wimps."

"He's right," Carl responded matter-of-factly. "Men are always told they need to be tough, but they can be quite vulnerable." He swallowed hard. "Showing emotion and getting medical treatment for ailments don't make them weak. They make them human."

"If there's one thing I love about Leo, it's he always tells me how pretty I am," Kendrix whispered joyfully. "In fact, I've been getting that a lot from the boys in school since I got rid of my glasses and started wearing my hair down." She felt a tear slide down her cheek. "It feels so good after being called ugly for so long."

"I'm glad you are getting positive attention from boys now," Carl said with much warmth. "I bet it felt satisfying to see Veronica get a huge dose of karma delivered to her this afternoon." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Kendrix smiled. "Oh, it did."

He grabbed her chin and moved her head from side to side three times. She pushed his hand away. She jumped in surprise when he smacked her in the back of her head.

"I want to save myself for the man I love and who loves me back," she said while rubbing her nose. "I don't want to lose my virginity in a meaningless encounter like Erica did with hers." She rolled her eyes.

"Who wants to lose their virginity in a meaningless encounter? Unfortunately, it does happen. What you and your boyfriend need to focus on is doing whatever you can to prevent pregnancy," he said.

"Don't worry, Uncle Carl. We have every intention of doing that," Kendrix assured.

"If you and your boyfriend do become parents, I will support you all the way," Carl declared firmly. "I love you, and there is nothing you can do that will ever change that."

"Thanks," Kendrix said with much happiness. They hugged each other tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too, my sweet niece," Carl responded, his voice showing much love. They pulled back and looked at each other. "Well, I better go."

"All right," Kendrix said, sighing contently as he rose to his feet. "If I don't see you again tonight, I want to tell you good night."

"Good night to you too, darling," Carl whispered and tickled her nose.

Kendrix observed her uncle heading out of the room. She opened the bottom drawer on her nightstand and put her notebook in.


	100. Running All Over the Place

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I can't believe I've written one hundred chapters. I've never written this many for a single fic. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed since I started this fic. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, TommyOlverMMPRFan, and Ms. Catherine Willmon 2017 for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other readers, please don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in this fic. I don't mind that at all. If you really like it, put it in your author alert and favorites lists. You'll be able to keep track of it better. Angel Grove High School will return in the chapter after the next one. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred one.

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Chapter 100: Running All Over the Place

Zhane and Carlos played ping-pong in the Vallerte residence's basement in the midevening. The rectangular-shaped table was in the middle of the large room. A dartboard hung on the back wall's left. Six darts stuck out of it in various spots. A pinball machine was on the right. It was plugged in and had been configured to play without the need for quarters. The house was medium-sized and had three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Zhane saw the ball go over the net and bounce off the table. He swung his paddle. He hit it, sending it toward Carlos. Carlos held up his paddle, which sent it back to him. Zhane saw it heading for the edge on the right. He went for it, managing to get it. It flew at Carlos, who hit it hard, returning it to him. It went for the edge on the left. Zhane tried to get it, only to miss it. It bounced twice and landed next to the wall. He headed toward it to pick it up. He gazed at Carlos, seeing him furrow his brow.

"Nice hit, Carlos," Zhane said and approached the table.

"Thanks, Zhane," Carlos said and tapped his paddle on it three times. "You didn't do badly at attempting to reach for the ball."

"I almost got it," Zhane said, squeezing his index finger and thumb close together. "I probably would've gotten it if I had been a little quicker."

"Maybe," Carlos agreed.

Zhane let out a small laugh. He bounced the ball on the floor four times. He threw it into the air and caught it easily. He did another upward throw, this time being higher. He held out his hand, as he believed he'd catch it. It hit him in the head instead. It landed on the floor and rolled away. It stopped next to the wall. Carlos burst into a fit of laughter.

"That ball had a great roll when it bounced off your head!" Carlos blurted out.

"Ha, ha, ha. That was so funny that I forgot to laugh," Zhane said sarcastically.

"Nice use of sarcasm," Carlos responded. He laughed hysterically when Zhane started jumping in a circle and hitting the top of his head with his paddle. He stopped when his friend became still. He laid his paddle on the table before crossing his arms.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Carlos. All that laughing will turn you into a hyena," Zhane quipped, a big smirk forming on his face.

"You should laugh with me," Carlos suggested. "Then we both can be hyenas." He imitated a hyena's laugh.

"That'd be nice," Zhane replied, clearing his throat. "Now, I need to come over to you."

Zhane laid his paddle on the table as Carlos uncrossed his arms. He walked up to him and waved his hand in front of his face. He raised it high before jerking it downward. Carlos gave his cheek a light slap. Zhane ruffled his friend's hair. He felt him push his hand aside.

"Don't touch my hair again, or you'll get a knuckle sandwich," Carlos warned, his hand balling into a fist.

"Give me one," Zhane threated, smirking smugly. "I dare you."

Carlos growled playfully. "All right, here it comes."

Carlos pressed his fist against Zhane's chin. Zhane fell on his back before spreading his arms and legs out eagle style. He twitched three times and closed his eyes. Carlos leaned down carefully. He jumped in fright when Zhane sprung back to life and sat up, roaring as if he were a bear. He smacked him upside the head.

"You little sneak! I can't believe you did that!" Carlos shouted in mock annoyance.

"You continue to fall for it," Zhane replied with great pride.

"I won't fall for it again. I mean it," Carlos warned.

Zhane stood up as Carlos rose to his full height. "I think you will continue to do so. What do you say we go upstairs and get some water?"

Carlos smiled. "Sure. Last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg!"

Carlos ran toward the stairs. Zhane chased after him, grabbing him before he could reach them. He put him aside before racing up them. He opened the door as Carlos caught up to him. They rushed into the kitchen. They reached the refrigerator at the same time. They panted heavily while turning to each other.

"I guess we're both rotten eggs," Carlos said honestly.

Zhane shrugged. "Hey, it's better to be a good sport than it is to be a sore winner or loser."

Zhane chuckled and opened the refrigerator once he and Carlos caught their breaths. He reached inside and grabbed two bottled waters. He closed it with a loud slam. He gave one to Carlos and kept the other. They opened them to take long sips. They looked around the medium-sized kitchen. It had blue cabinets, red paneled walls, white marble floor, and pine table with three matching chairs. They turned to each other.

"I'm looking forward to the birth of Andros and Ashley's children. It'll be fun being called Uncle Zhane," Zhane said excitedly.

"And it will be fun being called Uncle Carlos," Carlos replied and frowned. "It's unfortunate Andros and Ashley had to deal with a crazy woman named Agnes Olach while they were waiting for Kai as they told us in their email."

"It's likely I would've been cursing Agnes out if I had been with Andros and Ashley at the hospital. Young bullies are bad, but older ones are worse," Zhane hissed in much anger.

Carlos clenched his teeth. "You said it. We are supposed to respect our elders, but how can we show respect to them when they aren't showing any to us?"

"It makes me think of all those parents who have treated their children like trash and wonder why they don't get any respect from them," Zhane said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Mom and Dad told me once that you can't demand respect. You have to earn it," Carlos commented seriously.

"What good parents haven't said that?" Zhane wondered. "Anyway, the ultrasound pictures of the twins looked really neat when we saw them. I couldn't believe how much they had grown since last month."

"Me neither. It's also great that Ashley is on track with her weight gain," Carlos said, sighing in relief. He yawned before smacking his lips. "If she had severe morning sickness, it's likely she wouldn't be on track at all. In fact, she might have lost some weight."

"For twins, that's not good at all," Zhane whispered tensely. "We must never forget that severe morning sickness is often a sign a pregnant woman is expecting twins." He held up a finger.

"Of course not," Carlos agreed. "The one thing I want for Andros and Ashley is they find good-paying jobs. That can be difficult for young people, especially when they are expecting children."

"By the time the twins are born, Andros will have been working at the Surf Spot for seven months. That should help him find another job," Zhane pointed out.

"Yes, but that is no guarantee he'll find one quickly. Ashley doesn't have any job experience, so it could take her more time to find one," Carlos explained.

Zhane snorted. "Mm-hmm."

The duo walked away from the refrigerator. They stopped at the sink and glanced out the window at the falling rain. They listened to it splatter against the outside of the house. They placed their water on the counter.

"It's not every day people from alien worlds come to live on Earth permanently," Carlos said, gazing at Zhane.

"I don't regret coming here at all. I see it as my home, though KO-35 will always hold a place in my heart. Earth is a beautiful world. It has forests, deserts, savannas, rainforests, and oceans," Zhane whispered, his face showing much awe. "You can see the view for miles from mountaintops. Animals are all over the place, even in the desert."

Carlos exhaled sharply before suppressing a yawn. "It's incredible how animals live in the desert without much trouble. I wouldn't want to live in such an arid region."

"Me neither. Some people do live in the desert. The Sahara is a very familiar one. It will go without rain for years," Zhane murmured, laughing softly as he turned to him.

"I wonder how people survive there. It lacks rain most of the time," Carlos commented curiously.

"I'm not sure. I do admire them for their resilience, though. They have a lot of it," Zhane said, sighing contently. He ran his hands along the sink's rim before bringing them together.

"I'm sure it sucks they have to deal with getting sand everywhere," Carlos muttered, his face expressing disgust.

"Imagine getting sand in your underwear, especially in the crotch area," Zhane said and spoke gibberish.

"Please, don't talk about that. I just got a disturbing picture in my head," Carlos hissed, chuckling nervously.

Zhane became quiet and nodded. "Okay. Anyway, my heart lies here on Earth. It will be my home for the rest of my life. I wouldn't give it up for anything in the universe."

Zhane and Carlos looked out the window once more. They saw the rain getting heavier. The former gestured toward the raindrops while speaking inaudible words. The latter nodded at him. Neither of them saw forty-four-year-old Roger and fifty-year-old Marie coming up behind them. The parents stopped close to them.

Roger cupped his chin in his hand. He resembled Carlos, but he was taller and had more muscle. His eyes were hazel, and his hair was in the style of a buzz cut. His eyebrows were thin, and a scar could be seen above the left one. Freckles decorated his cheeks just below his eyes. Two freckles were on the back of his right hand. His face had wrinkles here and there.

Marie placed her hands on her sides while pressing her lips together. She was rather petite and possessed a lean frame. Her long, straight black hair was up in a ponytail. It contained a few grey streaks. Her eyebrows were thin, almost invisible. Her face didn't contain a single wrinkle. A scar went from the top of her right palm to the bottom of it.

"Look at those boys staring out the window at the rain," Marie said and ran her tongue over her teeth.

"They don't have a care in the world," Roger said and looked at his wife. A mischievous expression crossed his face. "Are you thinking what I am thinking?" He snickered.

"Yes, I am," Marie answered, eyeing him. "Let's do it."

"Yeah, let's do it," Roger whispered eagerly.

The couple moved right up to Zhane and Carlos. They pointed their fingers in the shapes of guns. Roger poked Zhane in the back. Marie did the same with Carlos. They imitated cocking guns.

"All right, you two are under arrest—" Roger started.

"For looking at the rain!" Marie finished.

Zhane raised his hands, as did Carlos with his. "We didn't mean to look at the rain, ma'am!"

Carlos swallowed hard. "Honest!"

"Unfortunately, your apology is not accepted," Roger said, shaking his head.

"Now, put your hands on your heads. Turn around, and face us!" Marie added menacingly.

Zhane and Carlos looked at each other. They turned back toward the window while putting their hands on their heads. They faced the latter's parents. Roger and Marie stepped back and pointed their fingers in their faces. They let out evil laughs. They made another cocking sound. Zhane and Carlos breathed deeply, nervousness showing in their eyes. Roger and Marie laughed and put their hands at their sides. The young men took their off their heads to place them on their hips. They shook their heads in disbelief.

"You are such a riot, Mom, Dad," Carlos said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You bet we are," Marie commented with pride.

"Even better is we both caught you and Zhane completely off-guard!" Roger yelled and laughed raucously.

"You did a great job of that. We didn't even notice you two coming up behind us in the window like we usually do!" Zhane shouted, clapping twice.

"When you're focused on something, it's hard to notice someone or something coming up behind you," Roger said matter-of-factly.

"Ain't that the truth?" Carlos said, smiling.

"Ain't isn't a word. I ain't going to say it," Roger responded in a singsong voice.

"You said ain't twice," Zhane pointed out as he held up a finger.

"You also said it, knucklehead," Marie said, blowing a raspberry.

"Only because he made me," Zhane said, motioning toward Roger.

"Hey!" Roger yelled, acting as if he were offended.

"It's the truth, Dad," Carlos said with a smirk. "Get used to it."

Roger and Marie ruffled the young men's hair. Zhane looked toward his water. He held up his hand as he narrowed his eyes at it. It started shaking and lifted off the counter. It floated over to his hand. He grabbed it and took a long sip. He turned back to Roger and Marie.

"It's really neat that you have telekinesis, Zhane," Marie said in amazement.

"It sure is. I wish I could've been there to see Tara trip after you used it to tie her shoelaces together. I would've laughed my butt off," Roger added.

Zhane laughed as he remembered that day. "It was satisfying to see her trip over her own feet, Mr. Vallerte. She needed a taste of her own medicine."

"Either you, Andros, or Karone should use your telekinesis to undo any of the troublemakers' pants and make them fall down. Showing them wearing unflattering underwear would be humiliating to them big time," Marie suggested honestly.

"I'll keep that in mind. I'll tell Andros and Karone to do the same," Zhane said and looked at Carlos's water. He narrowed his eyes at it. It floated off the counter. He moved his head as it went over to his friend, who grabbed it.

"Thanks," Carlos said, taking a long sip of his water.

"You're welcome," Zhane answered, shifting his attention toward Roger and Marie. "Anyway, Andros and I tried to teach Ashley telekinesis, but she got distracted during our lessons constantly." He gave a shrug. "She never got the hang of it."

Roger became thoughtful. "I know you, Andros, and Karone are looking forward to teaching the twins telekinesis."

"That's right," Zhane said, showing eagerness.

"I can say that it'd a great way for them to deal with bullies without having to lift a finger," Roger said.

Marie cupped her chin in her hand. "Don't forget that the children may never get good at telekinesis."

"Of course not," Roger said, giving her a mock glare. "What do you think I am, stupid?"

"No, but you can act stupid sometimes," Marie commented, turning to him and giggling softly. "I know I can."

Roger smacked his wife in the back of her head. He jumped in surprise when she gave him a smack upside his. He tweaked her nose and pretended to pull her underwear over her head. She moved her arms around as if she were blind. He acted as if he were putting her underwear back in its place. She flicked her husband's nose. Laughter sounded, and they looked at Zhane and Carlos.

"You two really know how to be silly," Zhane said happily.

"Laughter is good for the soul," Roger commented, crossing his arms. "In _Patch Adams,_ Patch used humor to help his patients. They claimed he helped them improve. Unfortunately, many doctors didn't like his approach to medicine. They believed doctors should treat their patients as patients and not bond with them."

"But many doctors do form bonds with their patients, especially when their illnesses become terminal," Carlos whispered, his voice showing hints of sadness on the last two words.

"Some people with terminal illnesses look healthy until the last several weeks of their lives," Marie murmured. "Many terminally ill patients are bitter about dying. Others keep positive attitudes, even up to their last breaths." She sighed dejectedly.

"It's never easy for people to watch loved ones wither away before their eyes, Mrs. Vallerte. All they can do is make them feel comfortable," Zhane commented.

"That's right," Carlos agreed.

The young men took long sips of their water. They smacked their lips before licking them. Marie wrinkled her nose. She believed a sneeze was coming on. However, it didn't come. She sighed in relief.

"If there is one great thing I can say about the country's teen pregnancy rate, it's that it continues to go down every year," Roger said.

"It's all thanks to comprehensive sex education," Carlos whispered. "Though I wish Andros and Ashley would've used condoms with her birth control, I am glad the loss of their virginities was in an act of love, not lust."

"Some men and women who screw new people every month think it gives them sexual prowess. In my view, it makes them look trashy," Zhane growled disgustedly.

"I believe most people feel that way," Roger said truthfully.

"It wasn't so long ago when teen parents didn't have any resources to help them with their children," Carlos commented, his body becoming tense. "In many cases, they were forced to give up their children for adoption, even if they said they would marry."

Marie felt sobs rising in her throat. "Your father and I knew of the unwed teen mothers' homes, Carlos. We thought it was cruel the parents were forced to give up their children for adoption. We believed they should be allowed to care for them." A tear fell from her eye. "Thank God those days are behind us now. Teen parents have many resources to help them with their children."

"Andros and Ashley are using them," Zhane said, sniffling. "I wish people would stop judging them over their decision to raise their twins. It's none of their damn business." He realized what he said and showed guilt. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that word."

"It's all right, Zhane," Roger assured gently. "We understand your frustration. I can tell you one thing. If you and Karone told us that you were expecting a baby right now, we'd support you all the way."

"We'd never turn our backs on you," Marie declared fiercely.

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Zhane whispered in relief. "I will always be grateful to you two for letting me live here."

Carlos put his arm around his friend's shoulder. "We wouldn't have it any other way, buddy."

Carlos gave Zhane a big hug, which made him chuckle. He released his hold on him. Roger gazed at his watch. He emitted a long whistle and turned back to the duo.

"It's getting close to bedtime for you two. You have school tomorrow," Roger said in seriousness.

"Unfortunately," Zhane said a little disappointingly. "I guess this is good night." He let out a small yawn.

"Good night, boys," Marie said, giving Zhane and Carlos big hugs. She let go of them and stepped aside. This allowed Roger to hug them. He stepped back. "Sleep tight."

"You too, Mom," Carlos commented warmly. "Good night."

Roger and Marie watched Zhane and Carlos head out of the kitchen. They decided to go over to the table. He sat at the head of it while she took the chair on his right. They started talking about the time Carlos climbed a tree during one of their picnics at Angel Grove Park.


	101. Off Somewhere

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred one of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter features Brittany and An-Mei's return. It has a little bit of Kai/OC. I made a change in chapter seventy-three in regards to spring break for Angel Grove High School. I found that April 23 was the day Easter fell on in 2000, so Angel Grove High School's spring break will be a week or two before then. Angel Grove University has their spring break a week before public school does. In turn, Mike and Maya wouldn't be able to go with the former Astro Rangers, Karone, Leo, and Kendrix to the cabin during their spring break. They'd go on a weekend and spend it there before heading back. I've decided that I will bring this fic to an end after Andros and Ashley's first teen parent support group meeting. The second fic will pick up three months after the previous one before spring break starts. I feel it will be easier to write the entire tale as separate fics instead of just a really long one. Besides, I've been working on the fic for more than eighteen months. It's time to break off and start going toward the birth of Andros and Ashley's twins while they deal with various situations. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred two.

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Chapter 101: Off Somewhere

Brittany brushed her hair in the Chen residence's medium-sized upstairs bathroom as she stood in front of the oval-shaped mirror in the early morning the next day. An-Mei watched her while sitting on the toilet. She had her arm on the counter. Her mother placed the brush down as she looked at her. She pulled her hair back as if she were putting it in a ponytail.

"An-Mei, do you think I should wear my hair in a ponytail or keep it down?" Brittany asked.

"I think you should put it in a ponytail, Mom. You look prettier that way," An-Mei responded.

"You think so?" Brittany said, glancing at her.

"Yeah! Hair looks best when it's in a ponytail," An-Mei squeaked.

"I agree," a male voice said.

Brittany and An-Mei turned to see Kai leaning against the doorframe. They saw he had his arms crossed.

"Hi, Dad," An-Mei greeted, waving to her father.

"Hi yourself, An-Mei," Kai answered.

"How long have you been standing there?" Brittany asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kai laughed softly. "Long enough to see you two discussing hair."

"It's something we girls like to do," Brittany commented and looked at her daughter. "Don't we, honey?"

"Yes, we do!" An-Mei yelled and pumped a fist.

"I've always liked my hair short. It's easier to style that way," Kai said, uncrossing his arms and touching his spikes.

"You should grow your hair longer, so you can wear it in a ponytail, Dad," An-Mei suggested.

"I will in the future," Kai said, coming into the bathroom. He stopped before her and ran his hand over her hair.

"Have you ever let your hair grow out?" An-Mei asked.

"I did a few times when I was younger," Kai replied with a slow nod. "You never want long bangs. They get in your eyes."

An-Mei chuckled. "So true."

Kai took one of An-Mei's pigtails and tapped her cheek with it. She couldn't help but giggle. He let of it and gave her a pinch on the nose. Brittany reached for her ponytail holder and put it around her hair three times. She tightened it to make sure it would stay in place.

"Your ponytail looks great, Mom," An-Mei said sweetly.

"Thanks, honey," Brittany replied, gazing at her. "Your pigtails make you look so cute."

"It's cool this is called a pigtail," An-Mei said, touching one of her pigtails while pointing her finger at her mother's ponytail. "The same goes for that being called a ponytail."

"I know," Brittany commented, touching her ponytail. "Some girls wear their long hair up in a bun. They see it as the perfect way to keep it out of their faces and eyes."

"At least your mother taught you how to do your own hair," Kai pointed out as his wife and daughter turned to him. "You've become good at it."

"Mom is the best hair stylist I know," An-Mei said, looking at her mother. "If she wasn't a kindergarten teacher, she'd style hair professionally."

"I love teaching kindergarteners too much to be a hair stylist," Brittany admitted softly. "I do cut other people's hair from time to time, and I don't charge them a cent."

"Not only are you a great hair stylist, but you are also very generous," Kai said, patting her shoulder as she looked at him. "That's another reason why I married you."

Brittany planted a kiss on Kai's cheek and hugged him. She ruffled his hair. He patted her gently on the back. She tapped his nose with her finger. They shifted their attention to An-Mei.

"It'll be fun visiting going horseback riding at Winston Ranch tomorrow. I love the horses so much," An-Mei said excitedly.

"So do we, darling," Brittany replied.

Kai put his hands behind his back. "Horses are some of the smartest animals around. They can remember things very well."

"One of those things is remembering people they haven't seen in a long time," Brittany said, holding up a finger.

"Horses remember people from their scent. They have an excellent sense of smell. They may not recognize you, but your scent never fades," Kai added.

An-Mei smiled. "That is really cool. Horses sleep standing up because it is much more comfortable for them. It keeps their legs from getting stiff."

"However, horses will lie on their sides when they get sick," Kai added.

"That's more comfortable for them, but they have to stand up as soon as possible in order for them to get better," Brittany commented.

"After they manage to get up, they are put in a special pen to help them regain their strength. They return to running and jumping around," Kai said, scratching his chin.

"Foals lay down a lot until they are older. Then they sleep standing up like their parents do," Brittany said, laughing.

"I'd love to lie in the hay like a foal," An-Mei squeaked.

"So would I, but I don't want to smell like horse manure," Brittany mumbled, making a disgusted face.

"Me neither. You don't to want to be kicked in the butt by a horse either. You'd be left with a big hoof print," Kai said with a snicker.

"I bet that'd be a cool picture to draw," An-Mei joked.

"How about we get a horse to kick your mother in the butt? Then we can draw the hoof print," Kai suggested.

"I believe you should be the one to get a horse kick to the butt, Kai," Brittany growled in mock annoyance.

"No way," Kai said, shaking his head.

Brittany nodded rapidly. "Yes way."

Kai waved his wife off as he walked away. An-Mei snickered while covering her mouth with her hand. She and Brittany looked at each other.

"You and Dad are so funny, Mom," An-Mei said, laying her hand in her lap.

"We sure are. Of course, I'm the funnier of the two," Brittany said.

"No, you're not, Brittany!" Kai yelled as he went downstairs.

"Oh, hush!" Brittany retorted.

The duo broke into loud laughter. They laughed so hard that they started coughing. They caught their breath. The former picked up the brush to get any tangles that may be in her ponytail out. The latter tapped her foot three times.

"Could we have some of your chocolate chip cookies when we get home from horseback riding, Mom? They're always so good," An-Mei said in eagerness.

"Sure," Brittany answered and let out a small yawn. "I'll fix them tonight since we're going to the ranch in the morning."

"I think calling someone a tough cookie is really cool," An-Mei said truthfully. "That person is able to handle just about anything that happens to him. For example, some kids don't cry when they fall down and hurt themselves. They may yell in pain, but they never start crying." She smiled.

"You are tough a cookie, honey. You hardly ever cry when you get hurt," Brittany said proudly. She put the brush down.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't stop hurting," An-Mei pointed out.

Brittany nodded. "Uh-huh."

"At least we can take it well," An-Mei said in a warm voice. "Some kids cry when they just fall down."

"Every kid is different. You never know what they're like until you get to know them," Brittany said honestly.

An-Mei exhaled. "Yep."

Brittany leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. She rubbed it gingerly. She turned to the mirror and moved her head from side to side. Both of them proceeded to sing nonsense.

00000

At the Vallerte residence, Roger put aftershave in his hand in his and Marie's medium-sized bathroom while standing in front of the rectangular-shaped mirror. He put it down before rubbing his hands together. He ran them over his cheeks slowly. He moved his hand down to his chin. Carlos sat on the toilet, watching him. He had his arm on the counter.

"It's nice that aftershave makes our skin very soft and smooth after we shave, Dad," Carlos said in awe.

"It sucks the razor strips away the moisture from our faces, son," Roger grumbled annoyingly. "What sucks even more is cutting ourselves." He winced painfully.

"At least we can use pieces of toilet paper to stop the bleeding," Carlos pointed out in relief.

"Homer tried to teach Bart how to shave in _The Simpsons,_ but he kept cutting himself on his face. He used a punch of toilet paper pieces to stop the bleeding. He put on aftershave, and it stung him," Roger commented, grabbing the aftershave and putting more in his hand. He put it aside before rubbing his hands together. He put it on his face.

"I don't like hair on my face," Carlos muttered, looking a little disgusted. "It makes me look funny."

"I understand, but you can't stop hair from growing on your face. It's a part of being a man," Roger said, looking at his son.

"It doesn't seem fair," Carlos groaned.

"I know, but we're guys," Roger said sympathetically. He looked toward the mirror. "We just have to deal with having mustaches and beards."

Roger patted his cheeks three times. He ran his hands over them while leaning forward. He pulled himself back and shifted his attention to Carlos, who raised an eyebrow.

"Instead of growing a mustache and beard, how about I paint one of each on you?" Carlos suggested.

"I'd like that. All I'd have to do is wash them off when I don't want them anymore," Roger answered with pride.

"After you're done, we'll paint mustaches and beards on Mom and Zhane!" Carlos yelled in delight.

"Yeah! Your mom will be a guy—" Roger started.

Carlos balled his hands into fists and pumped them. "Until she washes her mustache and beard off!"

Roger whooped loudly. "Exactly!"

Carlos gave his father two thumbs-ups. Roger ruffled his hair before taking his chin in his hand to move his head from side to side. He let go of him. He formed fists and put them on his hips, standing tall and proud.

"Do you think I would look good in a Superman suit, Carlos?" Roger wondered.

"Yes, you would! When you're not Superman, you can wear glasses like Clark Kent!" Carlos said, pointing a finger at him.

"I could use those Charlie Chaplin glasses I have. All I'd need to do is remove the mustache, nose, and eyebrows," Roger said, putting his arms at his sides.

"Mm-hmm. Come on to think of it. Superman looked pretty cool wearing his underwear over his pants," Carlos commented.

"I've always wondered why he did that," Roger said and scratched his head.

Carlos held up his hands while letting out a small laugh. "Maybe he didn't want his pants to fall down."

"That would be embarrassing," Roger responded.

"It is embarrassing when your pants fall down and show your polka-dotted underwear!" Carlos blurted out.

Roger growled playfully. "Oh, you!"

Roger reached down and squeezed Carlos's sides. Carlos roared with laughter. He broke free of his father's grasp and jumped to his feet. He ran out of the bathroom into the room. The room was medium-sized with a king-sized bed, a TV, a VCR, a pine dresser, and oak nightstands. A desk with a printer and a computer with a cable connected to wall was off in front of the window. The walls were painted tan, and the carpet was the same color.

Roger chased Carlos toward the doorway. He grabbed him before he could reach it and pulled him into a headlock. Carlos struggled against his grasp, but he couldn't get free. Roger tightened his grip on him somewhat, laughing evilly. He narrowed his eyes at him.

"I have you now, my boy. Now, surrender!" Roger demanded.

"Okay, Dad! You win! I surrender!" Carlos yelled, holding up his hands.

"Good. Remember who the boss here is," Roger said smugly as he released his hold on him.

"I believe that'd be me," Carlos said, rising to his full height.

"No, you're not," Roger said, shaking his head.

"Yes, I am," Carlos commented while nodding.

"No, you're not," Roger growled.

"Yes, I am," Carlos smirked.

The duo stuck their tongues out at each other. They pulled them back into their mouths. They made scary faces before breaking into smiles. They decided to go to the bed and sit down.

"It'll be great to go fishing with the rest of the family this weekend, Dad," Carlos said excitedly.

"It sure will, buddy," Roger agreed. "The family will be going horseback riding at Harks Ranch with the exception of Zhane next weekend. He and Karone are going to the movies. That ranch's horses are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen in my life." He sighed contently.

"Mm-hmm," Carlos agreed. "There are so many different kinds."

Roger imitated a horse's whinnying and patted his legs as if he were galloping. "The largest horses are the Clydesdale and Shire. They can stand seven feet tall and weigh two thousand pounds. They're called draft horses because they can pull objects heavier than they are." He became still.

"They can't move a house, but they can move a mobile home," Carlos said and grabbed at the air behind him with both hands. He leaned forward as if he were pulling something. He brought his body back before laying them in his lap.

"Imagine trying to drag a submarine behind you," Roger quipped and snickered under his breath.

"I think you're better for that," Carlos said, punching his father in the arm.

"No," Roger said with a shake of his head.

Carlos nodded. "Yes."

Roger slapped his son in the back of his head before tweaking his nose. Carlos pushed his father's hand aside. They winked at each other. They looked around the room twice before turning to each other.

"I wonder if we will get to see some of the horses being fed," Carlos said curiously.

"If we get there in time for that, then we'll be able to," Roger answered thoughtfully.

"Ms. Nestor has worked at that ranch for thirty years. I'm amazed she can move grain tubs by herself," Carlos whispered in awe.

"I know, but looks can be deceiving. You never know what feats people are capable of, especially the elderly ones," Roger commented, smiling.

"Look at Ashley's grandmother. She was determined to take on Termitus in a police car she had taken from an officer," Carlos said and made the sound of screeching tires.

"She is one crazy but spunky lady," Roger said matter-of-factly. "I do hope she, her husband, and her brother-in-law will make up with Ashley someday. They will miss out on their great-grandchildren's lives." He frowned.

"I do too, but we can't exactly point guns at them and make them do it," Carlos muttered seriously.

"No, we can't," Roger agreed with a heavy sigh. "Still, it wasn't right of them to make that ultimatum."

Carlos inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly. He looked out the window at an American robin sitting on the windowsill. He turned back to Roger, who pressed his lips together.

"It's too bad you never grew tall enough to hit your head on top of the doorway. You could have seen birdies flying around your head," Roger joked.

"I wouldn't have minded seeing tweeting birds flying around my head," Carlos said with pride.

"I taut I taw a putty tat," Roger said in Tweety's voice.

"I did!" Carlos blurted out delightfully. "I did taw a putty tat!"

Roger and Carlos broke into laughter. They hit their hands on their knees. They became quiet after twenty seconds.

"I wonder why Sylvester always chased after Tweety in those cartoons. He never caught him," Carlos said, crossing his arms.

"It's because he's a cat. Cats like to chase birds and eat them," Roger responded.

Carlos mewed. He acted as if he were licking his shoulder. "Everyone knows are great at catching mice."

"Yep. Mice are known to eat cheese, but they eat lots of other stuff such as oats, grains, fruits, vegetables, and insects. They'll even eat glue and paper," Roger commented.

"Yuck! Eating glue and paper is sick," Carlos hissed in disgust.

"I know. No one knows why mice eat glue and paper. They just do," Roger said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Still, it's yucky," Carlos mumbled.

Roger nodded sharply. "You said it."

Carlos clapped three times. Roger smiled at him and patted his son's shoulder. He looked at his watch and let out a long whistle.

"We'd better finish getting ready. We need to have breakfast," Roger said in seriousness and looked at Carlos. "All four of us have to get to our destinations soon."

Carlos nodded. "Sure, Dad."

Carlos uncrossed his arms. He rose to his feet and headed out of the room. Roger stood up and stretched his arms above his head. He went to the bathroom and looked into the mirror. He ran his tongue over his teeth.


	102. Spring Break Plan and Counselor Meeting

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred two of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has Andros/Ashley and Leo/Kendrix. It features the return of Angel Grove High School and a number of characters. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred three.

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Chapter 102: Spring Break Plan/Counselor Meeting

Heavy rain fell at Angel Grove High School more an hour later. Andros was pulling his chemistry book out of his locker. He put the book in his backpack and zipped it shut. He closed his locker with a loud slam. He put his backpack over his shoulders and made his way toward Ashley and Cassie, whom were standing next to their lockers and talking about who barfed in the cafeteria yesterday. His girlfriend looked at him as he came to her side.

"It took you long enough to get here," Ashley teased.

"Did a monster jump out of your locker and try to eat you?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah. I karate-chopped it into oblivion," Andros answered, eyeing Cassie. He turned back to Ashley and touched her stomach. "I hope the twins aren't giving you any trouble."

"Not at the moment," Ashley said, giving a shrug.

"It's good you are now entering the second trimester of your pregnancy, Ash," Cassie said as the couple looked at her. "That means your morning sickness should be leveling off very soon." She winked at Ashley.

"Yes, but it could come back, Cass," Ashley warned.

"By the way, Ashley ate three pancakes covered in relish at breakfast," Andros added, a laugh leaving his mouth. "She was craving it."

"I knew you'd try that food combo!" Cassie said, shaking a finger at Ashley. "I knew it!"

"Maybe you did, but something tells me you will try it next," Ashley suggested as Cassie put her hand at her side. "When you're pregnant, that is."

"I don't know if TJ and I ever make it that far," Cassie whispered, looking a little uncertain. "I mean, we've been dating for only a few weeks."

"Yes, but there is no shame thinking about what the future could bring," Ashley answered as her boyfriend took his hand away.

"She's right," Andros agreed.

"I understand," Cassie said, nodding at them. "I can look on the bright side. TJ and I are going out to lunch at Waffle House tomorrow." She squealed excitedly.

"That's great," Ashley yelled happily.

"He asked me after he walked me home from school yesterday. I couldn't resist the idea of eating breakfast for lunch. That is if I wanted that," Cassie explained.

"The best thing about Waffle House is you can watch the waiters cook the food," Andros commented.

"Mm-hmm," Cassie said.

Lightning lit up the window at the stairs. A loud thunderclap followed suit right after. A quieter one came a second later. Andros rubbed Ashley's arm as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Cassie, there is something we'd like to discuss with you. It's about spring break," Andros said.

"What would you think of the gang heading to Carlos's uncle Aaron's cabin for spring break?" Ashley wondered.

Cassie laughed eagerly. "I'd love to go to that cabin for spring break. It's much bigger than Ashley's aunt Raylene's cabin is."

"I'm glad you want to go," Ashley said, smiling. "Andros and I discussed this on the way to the cabin."

"On top of that, we thought it'd be nice to invite Leo, Kendrix, Mike, and Maya to come along," Andros added.

"But Mike and Maya have their spring break the week before we have ours," Cassie pointed out.

Ashley chuckled. "We thought we'd invite Mike and Maya to spend the weekend with us. They deserve to have some fun in the mountains."

"Besides, this will give Maya an opportunity to see one of California's most gorgeous mountain ranges," Andros added.

"Okay," Cassie commented with a nod. "Just don't expect any of us to jump in the cabin's lake. The water is too cold at that time of year." She faked shivering.

Andros nodded at her. "Don't worry. No one—"

The trio heard loud laughter. They looked ahead to see TJ, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, Justin, Leo, and Kendrix coming their way.

"My father caught me before I could escape his room and pulled me into a headlock. I couldn't get free from his grasp. He tightened his grip on me and told me to surrender. I yelled that I did. He let me go. He told me to remember who was boss. I jokingly said I believe that would be me. He answered he didn't think so. I replied that I did think so. We stuck our tongues out at each other," Carlos said.

TJ, Zhane, Karone, Carlos, Justin, Leo, and Kendrix tried to keep themselves from laughing, but they couldn't help themselves. They stopped before Andros, Ashley, and Cassie.

"Good morning, guys," Andros greeted.

"Good morning yourself, Andros," TJ replied and gave his former roommate a high-five. "I hope Ashley didn't wake you up in the middle of the night because she was craving something."

"Oh, no. She did eat pancakes covered in relish, though," Andros answered with a shrug.

"Ah. The never-ending craving for weird food combos," Kendrix said, giggling softly. "I can see myself craving frozen yogurt with ketchup if I ever get pregnant. I've never been fond of those two foods."

"Just try not to squirt that ketchup in your face," Leo quipped, looking at her.

"Maybe I'll hit you in the face instead," Kendrix said, turning to him and flicking his chin.

Leo shook his head. "Oh, no."

Kendrix nodded rapidly. "Oh, yes."

Leo ruffled Kendrix's hair while blowing a raspberry. He snickered when she did the same to his. They turned to the others.

"Guys, what would you think of all of us going to Carlos's uncle Aaron's cabin for spring break this year?" Andros asked.

"You mean you are—" Kendrix started, gesturing toward herself and Leo.

"Yeah!" Cassie said with a fast nod. She knew Kendrix was talking about her and Leo being invited.

"We'd love to go with all of you!" Leo blurted out with so much happiness that he looked about ready to burst.

"That is a great idea, Andros," Carlos said in eagerness. "It'll be the last time you and Ashley will be able to spend a vacation with us. You will be busy with the twins after they are born."

"I second that," Justin said with great pride.

"I third that," Zhane added.

"I fourth that," Karone chimed with great excitement.

"I fifth that," TJ said, balling his hand into a fist and pumping it.

"Mike and Maya are invited to come along with us for the weekend," Ashley said, putting her hand on her side.

"I think my brother and his girlfriend will love the idea of coming with us," Leo said in much warmth. "He'd have to take his own vehicle, though."

"You are right about that, Leo," a male voice said.

Everyone looked ahead to see Mr. Kaplan standing a short distance away. He approached them as he put his hands behind his back.

"How long have you been standing there, Mr. Kaplan?" Karone wondered.

"Long enough to hear all of you are already making plans for your spring break," Mr. Kaplan answered. "It's good you are planning ahead. There is nothing worse than waiting until the last minute to do things." He rolled his eyes.

"We know a few people who have done that countless times," Justin grumbled annoyingly.

"We can't exactly point guns at them and force them to plan ahead," Zhane said, sighing heavily.

"No, we can't," Mr. Kaplan agreed and turned his attention toward Andros and Ashley. "Anyway, how are those babies doing?"

"They're doing great, Mr. Kaplan. Ashley's weight gain is on track. Her morning sickness should start leveling off very soon," Andros explained in happiness.

"Well, that's good," Mr. Kaplan said, a smile crossing his lips. "It will be interesting when Ashley finally starts showing. It probably will be sooner than anyone thinks."

"Yes, but she can handle it," Karone said honestly. "Then again, she can always wear a sign that says, 'Wide load.' This will allow people to avoid her." She smirked as she turned toward Ashley.

"Oh, hush!" Ashley hissed in mock annoyance.

Mr. Kaplan chuckled to himself. He looked at his watch and let out a long whistle. He turned back to the teens.

"It won't be long before the bell rings. All of you should get to your classes," Mr. Kaplan commented seriously.

"We will, sir," Justin assured.

Andros cleared his throat. "Before Ashley and I go to class, we want to go with you and tell Mr. Freeman about her next ultrasound appointment. We didn't think about telling him when he came by our house and gave us our schoolwork. We also want to talk to him about the teen parent support group."

"Our schoolwork is all done and ready to hand in to our teachers," Ashley added.

Mr. Kaplan nodded at the couple. "That's good, Ashley. You and Andros can come with me. Let's go."

Mr. Kaplan, Andros, and Ashley walked off. Leo and Carlos raced upstairs. Kendrix headed down the hallway in front of the stairs. Zhane and Karone went left. TJ and Justin walked right.

00000

Jeff was reading _White Fang_ while sitting at his desk in his office. He finished one page and turned to the next. He chewed gum somewhat loudly. He blew a big bubble. He popped it and used his tongue to get back in his mouth. He tried to suppress a yawn, but he couldn't help himself. He ran his hand over his face three times.

He looked toward the window to see a blue jay sitting on the windowsill. He couldn't help but smile. He loved watching birds sit there. He thought they were among the most beautiful animals in the world. He considered hummingbirds his favorite because he loved how fast they flapped their wings while extracting nectar from flowers.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard knocking. He looked toward the door as he closed his book and laid it aside. He smoothed his black jacket out with both hands before straightening his red tie. He folded his hands and placed them on the desk.

"Come in," Jeff called. The door opened with a slight squeak, and Mr. Kaplan walked in. "Good morning, Mr. Kaplan. What brings you here?"

"I have two students who need to see you," Mr. Kaplan answered, letting out a soft snort.

"Okay. Bring them in," Jeff said, unfolding his hands and patting them on the desk.

"All right," Mr. Kaplan said and looked away. He waved his hand toward himself. He stepped aside, allowing Andros and Ashley to come in. Jeff smiled.

"Good morning, Andros, Ashley," Jeff greeted in a warm voice. "I didn't expect to see you today."

"We need to talk to you about Ashley's next ultrasound appointment," Andros said honestly. "We didn't even think about it when we saw you yesterday."

"We also want to talk to you about the teen parent support group," Ashley added softly.

"Okay. Well, come sit down," Jeff said, motioning toward the chairs. "We don't want to waste time, do we?" He smiled.

"You know what to do if Andros and Ashley stay past the bell," Mr. Kaplan pointed out gently.

"I know, sir," Jeff said, saluting the principal.

Mr. Kaplan waved the counselor off and walked out. He closed the door behind him. Andros and Ashley went to the chairs. They took their backpacks off and placed them on the backs. They seated themselves.

"So, when is Ashley's next ultrasound appointment?" Jeff wondered. He opened the drawer underneath him to grab his notepad and excuse slips. He closed it before laying them on the desk.

"It's February 18 at two-thirty," Ashley responded, clasping her hands together. "I will be seventeen weeks along by then. I've been counting the weeks of my pregnancy to each appointment."

Jeff wrote down the date and time. "That's good. Anyway, your appointment is thirty minutes after school ends. However, that doesn't mean you two have to be here, especially since Andros is working. He needs to make as much money as he can."

"We're planning to tell Adelle about the appointment this afternoon, so she can allow me to work that morning," Andros commented.

Ashley smiled with much warmth. "We completed our schoolwork last night. We'll be handing it in to our teachers."

"I'm proud of you two," Jeff said, looking at the couple. "You are keeping up with your schoolwork. You're letting me know what's going on. You are using the teen parent program like it's supposed to be used." He sighed heavily. "I hate it when teen parents use it as an excuse to play around."

"We do too," Andros agreed. "I wouldn't be surprised if those teen parents think caring for a child is easy."

"Oh, they do, Andros," Jeff muttered, anger lining his voice. "It's not, no matter how old you are. There is so much that goes into caring for children. Not only do physical needs have to be met, but emotional and mental needs do too." He scoffed frustratingly. "The reality is some parents are unable to provide one or more of the three in regards to the children."

Andros yawned somewhat. "Believe us, sir. We will do everything in our power to provide for our children physically, emotionally, and mentally."

"Oh, I know you will," Jeff assured in a gentle voice. "Being Power Rangers made you two mature faster than most people do. That will help you with your children."

Andros and Ashley looked at each other. They shifted their attention back to Jeff while straightening their postures.

"So, what do you want to talk to me about the teen parent support group?" Jeff asked, curiosity showing in his eyes.

"Well, we are attending our first meeting tomorrow. We are a bit nervous about it," Andros explained.

"We're concerned that the participants will react badly to the fact we went from being Power Rangers to teen parents in a little over a year. Many people used to look up to us. Now, they see us as jokes," Ashley added, her voice tinged with sadness.

"I understand your feelings," Jeff commented sympathetically. "All I can tell you is that you should stay as calm as you can while you explain your situation." He adjusted his glasses. "If the group reacts badly, then you shouldn't go back. No one has to stay with it if they are uncomfortable in any way."

"Thank you, sir," Andros whispered gratefully. "We'll do our best to stay calm."

"By the way, it's nice that not everyone knows who we are," Ashley said, sighing in relief. "In fact, not everyone knows about the world's most well-known celebrities." She gave a shrug.

"Mm-hmm," Jeff agreed. "There are more important things to worry about than what a celebrity is up to." He scoffed annoyingly. "Some celebrities will do whatever it takes to get attention, even making fools of themselves in public."

"Ordinary people are just as guilty of doing that as celebrities are," Ashley said bluntly. "They receive mostly negative attention, but they see that as better than none at all."

Jeff shrugged. Just then, the bell rang loudly, causing Andros and Ashley to look up. They returned their attention to him.

"Class is about to start," Andros commented.

"We still feel we need to talk to you a little more about the teen parent support group," Ashley added.

"That's fine with me," Jeff said, smiling lightly. "Let's finish up, so you two can be on your way."

Andros and Ashley nodded at the counselor. He started talking about the possibility of any other teen parents attending the same meeting for the first time.

00000

Jeff wrote excuse slips for Andros and Ashley four minutes later. He handed them to the teen parents. He watched them rise to their feet and grab their backpacks. They slipped them over their shoulders. They put the slips into their pockets before rubbing their hands together.

"Thank you for letting us talk to you, Mr. Freeman," Ashley said.

"You're welcome, Ashley," Jeff answered as he nodded at the couple. "I hope everything goes well at your first meeting with the other teen parents."

"So do we," Andros said, giving him a thumbs-up. "We'll see you later."

Andros approached the door. He opened it, and Ashley went past him. She stopped in her tracks in the waiting room. He came out of the office and closed it behind him. Mr. Kaplan walked up to them.

"I trust everything went well with Mr. Freeman," Mr. Kaplan commented.

"Oh, yes, sir," Ashley replied, her face beaming with happiness.

Mr. Kaplan chuckled. "That's wonderful."

Andros jerked his thumb in the direction of the hallway. "We better get to class."

"Of course. Have a good day," Mr. Kaplan said, nodding at the couple.

"You too," Ashley said with a nod. "Thanks for allowing us to see Mr. Freeman."

"No problem," Mr. Kaplan said and walked toward his office.

Andros and Ashley headed out of the room. They turned left and began walking down the empty hallway. He touched the top of his head.

"I'm glad we got all that over with," Andros whispered in great relief.

"So am I," Ashley said, smacking her lips. "Though I am still a little nervous, I'm looking forward to the teen parent support group."

"Me too," Andros agreed. They saw the stairs coming into view. "I think—"

"Andros, Ashley, what are you two doing in the hallway after the bell?" Ms. Applebee asked, coming out of the women's restroom. She approached her students as they stopped in front of the stairs.

"Ms. Applebee, hi," Andros greeted and laughed quietly. "Nature just had to call, huh?"

Ms. Applebee nodded. "Yes, my boy. No one likes it when it happens, but what can we do?" She rubbed her nose. "May I see your excuse slips?'

"Sure," Andros said. He and Ashley grabbed their slips from their pockets and gave them to their teacher. Ms. Applebee looked them over before turning to them. She showed sympathy.

"I didn't know you two were a little nervous about attending your first teen parent support group meeting," Ms. Applebee said in a gentle manner. She handed the slips back to the couple. "I understand your feelings. Just be yourselves, and don't let any nasty comments about how you arrived at your situation get to you."

"We won't, Ms. Applebee," Ashley assured as she and Andros put their slips back in their pockets. "We just wanted to clear the air with Mr. Freeman."

"It's good you did. Well, you better get to your classes," Ms. Applebee said.

Ashley winked at her. "We will."

Ms. Applebee went past her students. Andros and Ashley looked at each other, smiles crossing their lips.

"Ms. Applebee is such a sweetheart," Andros whispered, chuckling. "I'm so lucky to have her as my history teacher."

"I am too," Ashley agreed. She kissed him on the cheek twice. "I'll see you in history class."

"As will I with you," Andros responded and headed upstairs. He peered over shoulder at her. "Bye."

"Bye," Ashley said, waving to him as he looked ahead. She started to feel uncomfortable and went to the women's restroom.


	103. Another Chemistry Lecture

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here is chapter one hundred three of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter features the return of another character who hasn't been seen in a while. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred four.

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Chapter 103: Another Chemistry Lecture

Mr. Wilton was writing about acid-base reactions on his classroom's whiteboard. His class wrote down his notes. Cassie stopped writing and gazed at Andros's desk. She wondered when he would be here. She hoped he and Ashley got the things they needed cleared up with Jeff, especially their first teen parent support group meeting.

Cassie snapped out of her thoughts when the door opened. She and the other students looked at Andros coming into the classroom. Andros closed the door behind him, its hinges squeaking somewhat. He approached Mr. Wilton, who stopped writing and gazed at him. The teacher gave him a serious look as he faced him.

"It's nice to finally see you, Andros," Mr. Wilton said with some annoyance. "I hope you have a good excuse for being late."

"I'm sorry for that, but I had several things I needed to get taken care of," Andros replied regretfully as he grabbed his slip from his pocket. He gave it to him.

"You needed to tell Mr. Freeman about Ashley's next ultrasound appointment. You were also nervous about your first teen parent support group meeting," Mr. Wilton said, looking over the slip. He gazed at him. "I don't blame you. Just be yourself, and focus on telling your story to the other young parents."

"I hope the participants in that stupid group get angry at you and throw you out. You and Ashley are such jokes now that it isn't funny," Brian blurted out.

"Back off, Brian," Andros snapped, turning to the troublemaker along with Mr. Wilton. "I don't need to deal with your attitude right now."

"For once, why don't you mind your own business?" Cassie said and looked over her shoulder at Brian.

"I love it when you're snippy, Cassie," Brian said and poked her shoulder with his pencil. "You need to be a bit snippier."

"I'd rather not be snippier," Cassie retorted and let out an angry scoff. "I want to see someone take away your voice, so I won't have to listen to you talk."

"Fat chance of that happen," Brian hissed.

"All right, cut it out," Mr. Wilton said. He saw Cassie and Brian to turn to him. "Brian, I'm not in the mood for your shenanigans today. There is no harm in Andros talking to Mr. Freeman about his concerns regarding meeting other teen parents."

"If you were a teen parent, you'd be going through the same things Andros and Ashley are going through right now," Carlos said. He received a glare from Brian.

"But I'm not a teen parent," Brian leered and emitted a soft growl. "I don't want to be a parent because love is overrated. It's best to screw girls and leave them in the dust." He pretended to spit at the floor.

"Oh, you are definitely destined for loneliness," Leo said bluntly.

"Okay. It's time to stop this talking," Mr. Wilton said seriously. Carlos, Leo, and Brian glanced at him. He clenched his teeth. "Watch yourself, Brian. I've got my eye on you."

"Don't worry, teach. I won't say anything," Brian commented.

"I don't mind you asking questions during the lecture. Just don't bother anyone," Mr. Wilton warned and eyed Andros. "You better get to your seat. We just started on this lecture."

Andros nodded at his teacher. He went to his desk and took off his backpack. He sat down and laid it on the floor. He unzipped it to get his notebook and pencil. He put them on his desk He opened his notebooks and turned the pages until he came to an empty one. Mr. Wilton tossed the slip in the trashcan. He focused his attention on the whiteboard and resumed writing on it.

"A limitation of the Arrhenius definition is its reliance on water solutions. Edward Curtis Franklin studied the acid–base reactions in liquid ammonia in 1905. He found similarities to the water-based Arrhenius theory. Albert F. O. Germann worked with liquid phosgene. He created the solvent-based theory in 1925. He generalized the Arrhenius definition to cover aprotic solvents," Mr. Wilton said calmly. "He pointed out that there are ions in equilibrium with neutral solvent molecules in most solutions. Solvonium means positive ion. Solvate means negative ion."

"Those names sound a little weird, sir," Cassie commented.

Andros tapped his pencil on his notebook. "They sure do."

Mr. Wilton stopped writing and faced his class. "I agree, but those were the names chosen in regards to this theory. I can't rewrite history."

"It'd be cool if you rewrote history. By inventing a time machine, you'd be able to go back in time and point a gun at the guy to force him to change the names," Brian joked.

Leo laughed sarcastically. "Very funny."

"Okay, boys," Mr. Wilton said sternly and turned to the whiteboard. "Water and ammonia undergo…"

As Mr. Wilton continued talking while writing the ion equation for the mentioned compounds, the students returned to write down his notes. Andros was about to start when he heard a 'Psst!' He looked over his shoulder at Carlos. Cassie looked toward him.

"What is it, Carlos?" Andros asked.

"We'll get in trouble if we get caught talking in class," Cassie added seriously.

Carlos held up his hand. "I know. I wanted to know if you were still nervous about attending the meeting."

"Yes, but I'm looking forward to it now. So is Ashley," Andros answered, rubbing his nose. "If the participants react badly because of our pasts as Power Rangers, it's all right. We aren't required to stay with the group."

Leo snorted softly. "It'll be their loss if they do react badly. They'll be missing out on getting to know two great people."

"Not to mention they are the most determined expectant teen parents I've ever seen," Cassie added.

"I second that," Leo commented, winking at Andros.

"I third that," Carlos added, smiling lightly. "We can take comfort in the fact that Johnny hasn't caused a hair of trouble since he was slapped with restraining orders."

"I'm still determined to protect myself if he tries to cause any trouble," Andros whispered in seriousness.

"Me too," Leo said.

"Me three," Cassie chimed.

"Don't fight Johnny too hard. You don't want to break any bones, do you?" Brian leered, wiggling his eyebrows. He smirked as Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo glared at him.

"Go kiss the train tracks, Brian," Andros hissed.

"We weren't talking to you," Cassie added.

Brian snickered. "I'll gladly kiss the train tracks if you ride the train that goes over them. By the way, Cassie, you get cuter every time you show your snippiness."

"Spare me the passes, jerk. I have a boyfriend now. His name is TJ," Cassie retorted through clenched teeth.

"I know you do, but don't expect to live happily ever after with him," Brian warned, pointing a finger in her face.

"Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, Brian, please stop talking," Mr. Wilton said as he stopped writing. He turned around to see Andros, Carlos, Cassie, Leo, and Brian look toward him.

"Sorry, sir," the five students apologized.

"Thank you," Mr. Wilton responded with a loud snort. "Andros, you may be a father to twins, but that doesn't mean I will ever give you special treatment. Is that clear?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Very clear, sir," Andros said.

"Good," Mr. Wilton commented, winking at the expectant father.

"Tell it like it is, teach!" Brian shouted and clapped three times.

Mr. Wilton narrowed his eyes at him. "Just because I told it like it is doesn't mean I am taking my eye off you, Brian. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Brian said and saluted him.

Mr. Wilton rolled his eyes as he faced the whiteboard. He mumbled inaudible words and wrote on it once more.

"Some aprotic systems also undergo such dissociation. For example, dinitrogen tetroxide turns into nitrosonium and nitrate. Antimony trichloride becomes dichloroantimonium and tetrachloroantimonate. Phosgene divides into chlorocarboxonium and chloride," Mr. Wilton commented.

Cassie tapped her pencil against her temple. "The ions for those compounds sound complicated to write."

"They do sound that way, Cassie, but they are actually easy to write," Mr. Wilton answered as he looked over his shoulder at her. He turned back to the whiteboard. He wrote down the ion equations for the mentioned compounds. "A solute that causes an increase in the concentration of solvonium ions and a decrease in the solvate ions is an acid. It's a base when vice versa happens." He faced the class.

"It's like things get flipped around when it comes to this theory," Carlos said, letting out an eager chuckle.

Mr. Wilton nodded at his student. "You could say that, Carlos. In liquid ammonia, potassium amide is a strong base. Ammonium nitrate is a strong acid in the same thing. Liquid sulfur dioxide allows thionyl compounds to act as acids and sulfites as bases. Nitric acid can actually be a base in liquid sulfuric acid."

"It sounds weird that an acid can be a base in another acid," Brian muttered.

"It does sound weird, Brian, but it is part of this theory," Mr. Wilton pointed out and cleared his throat. He turned around and wrote down the ion equation for the mentioned compounds. The students copied his notes. "The solvent system definition depends on both the solute and solvent. A solute can be either an acid or a base. This can be seen as both a strength and a weakness. However, this theory has been criticized as being too general to be useful."

"Gosh. Acid-base reactions have so many theories that it feels hard to keep up with all of them," Andros commented, suppressing a yawn.

"It does feel that way, Andros," Mr. Wilton said as he finished writing. He faced his class. "We just have to roll with it, don't we?"

Andros smiled warmly. "Oh, yeah."

Mr. Wilton gave a thumbs-up to Andros. Brian rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. The teacher turned around and wrote on the whiteboard again.

"The Lux-Flood definition revived the oxygen theory of acids and bases. Hermann Lux proposed it in 1939. Hakon Flood improved it in 1947. The definition says acids are oxide ion acceptors and bases as oxide ion donors," Mr. Wilton explained. "This theory happens to be very useful in the systematization of noble gas compounds such as xenon oxides, fluorides, and oxofluorides."

"It used to be believed that noble gases were incapable of forming compounds because their valence shells of electrons were full," Cassie said.

"That is correct, Cassie," Mr. Wilton said, clearing his throat. "One example of this theory is magnesium oxide combining with carbon dioxide to form magnesium carbonate." He jotted down the chemical equation for the mentioned compounds. The students copied his notes. "The former is the base while the latter is the acid."

"Combining the two results in the salt you just mentioned," Andros responded eagerly.

"That's right, Andros," Mr. Wilton said and laughed happily. He faced the class once more. "It's great to see you being so enthusiastic."

"I'm proud to be that way," Andros commented with great pride.

"You happen to be a teacher's pet big time," Brian hissed irritatingly.

"Someone needs put you on a leash, Brian," Cassie retorted, looking over her shoulder at the boy.

"Someone needs to put a leash on you, Cassie," Brian retorted, narrowing his eyes at the girl. "You can ask TJ to take you for a walk."

"You need to take a walk, Brian," Leo said fiercely.

"No, I don't," Brian growled and shifted his attention toward him. He cringed when the students laughed.

"The students agree with Leo," Andros commented and wiggled his eyebrows.

"I'll take you for that walk, Brian," Carlos quipped with a big smile on his face. The students laughed even louder.

"All right, that's enough," Mr. Wilton said sternly. The students quieted down. "Another example of the Lux-Flood definition is calcium oxide combining with silicon dioxide to form wollastonite."

"That's a weird name," Cassie said honestly.

"It does sound weird, Cassie, but I didn't come up with it," Mr. Wilton said, a small sigh escaping his lips. "This compound has industrial importance worldwide. It isn't very common, though."

Mr. Wilton faced the whiteboard to write the chemical equation for the mentioned compounds. His students shifted their attention to copying his notes.


	104. Out of the Way

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred four of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and Zhane/Karone. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred five.

XXXXX

Chapter 104: Out of the Way

The bell rang thirty-three minutes later. Students began to leave the classrooms. Many headed to their lockers while others went to their next classes. Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo exited Mr. Wilton's classroom. They walked left. Cassie patted her notebook while holding it against her.

"As usual, Mr. Wilton gives another informative lecture," Carlos said with great pride.

"There were so many definitions and theories of acid-base reactions that I thought my brain was about to burst," Leo joked.

"That wouldn't have been a pretty sight," Cassie said, punching him in the arm. She ducked when he attempted to smack her in the back of her head. She came back up. "Ha, ha. You were too slow."

"I'll get you, Cassie," Leo said, shaking a finger in her face. "I mean it."

"That's what you think," Cassie said, pushing his hand aside.

"Anyway, I'm grateful that Mr. Wilton kept his eye on Brian throughout class like he always does," Andros said in relief. "He's always determined to make sure that troublemaker stays in line."

"I honestly believe that Brian will be going to summer school instead of graduating with us. Bianca and Tara will go along for the ride," Cassie commented.

"Johnny is already going to summer school since he was expelled for that knife incident," Leo said bluntly. He mumbled inaudible words. "He will have a hell of a hard time finding a job, whether or not he is convicted of felony weapon possession."

"Let's pray the trial is scheduled soon," Carlos whispered hopefully and tried to suppress a yawn, but he couldn't help himself.

Andros, Carlos, and Cassie voiced their agreement. Brian bumped into Leo as he passed him without excusing himself. The quartet stopped in their tracks. Brian raced down the stairs while singing Phil Collins's _You'll Be in My Heart_ way off-key.

"When in the hell will that idiot ever stop bumping into people without excusing himself and singing?" Leo hissed angrily.

"It's times like this I want to give him the finger," Cassie yelled frustratingly. "Unfortunately, I'd get sent to the principal's office if a teacher caught me doing that."

Carlos scoffed. "He does deserve it, though."

"He also deserves a kick to his ass," Leo added.

Andros smirked. "I'd pay big bucks to see that. How about we put a foot up his ass too?"

"I'm all for that," Cassie said delightfully.

"Count us in too," Carlos and Leo chimed and let out small laughs.

"Great," Andros said, snorting softly. He and his friends headed toward the stairs. "Anyway, it's just four more weeks until the twins start moving." He laughed happily. "I can't wait to feel them."

"It's so nice that you and Ashley got to hear the babies' heartbeats on the ultrasound," Leo commented warmly.

Cassie slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. "Something tells me they won't be on the same schedule."

"Very few multiples are. Oh, well. You can't have everything you want in life," Andros whispered.

"Nope," Cassie agreed.

Andros, Carlos, Cassie, and Leo walked downstairs. They found TJ, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Justin, and Kendrix gathered at the bottom of the stairs. TJ, Ashley, and Justin stood near the trashcan. Zhane, Karone, and Kendrix were seated on the stairs. The group looked up to see their friends reach the bottom. Ashley came to Andros's side.

"Hi, Andros," Ashley greeted and planted a kiss to Andros's temple.

"Hi yourself, Ash," Andros replied sweetly and gave her a hug. "I missed you so much." He kissed her forehead. "Did the twins give you any trouble?"

"Unfortunately, they did. I got sick ten minutes before class ended," Ashley muttered and hissed frustratingly. "I want this morning sickness to stop now."

"Who doesn't?" Zhane asked.

"It could be worse," Karone pointed out seriously. "You could be suffering from severe morning sickness."

"I know, Karone," Ashley commented, looking toward her. "If that was happening, I'd be at home. There is no way I'd be able to function in school running to and from the bathroom constantly." She gulped fearfully.

"Look on the bright side. Mr. Freeman would bring your schoolwork to your house if you had severe morning sickness," Kendrix said comfortingly.

"I can see that, Kendrix," Ashley said, eyeing her. "Things could be even worse in regards to this condition. I could be in the hospital due to dehydration from the constant vomiting. I'd be at risk of losing one or both twins." She choked back a sob. "The thought of losing one or both babies is scary."

"It is, but we've moved past the most critical stage of the pregnancy," Andros assured gently. "The chances of you miscarrying one or both twins is much lower now."

"I know," Ashley answered softly. "Still, the risk will always be there. After twenty weeks, the loss of the babies will be called stillbirths. I have to do everything in my power to minimize that." She sniffled.

"You're doing a fantastic job," TJ commented truthfully as Andros and Ashley gazed at him. "All of us believe you will continue to do so."

"Just don't let the twins stink up the whole house," Justin quipped and stifled a snicker.

"Oh, shut up, Justin!" Andros and Ashley blurted out in mock annoyance.

"No, you two should shut up!" Justin retorted playfully.

Andros and Ashley stuck their tongues out at the boy. They received a laugh from him and pulled them back into their mouths.

"I saw the episode called '22 Short Films about Springfield' of _The Simpsons_ last night. That was the one where Nelson laughed at the really tall man in the small car," Justin commented.

"I saw it too. I couldn't stop laughing at him being humiliated in front of the crowd. The best part was seeing him being squirted with mustard and ketchup by Bart and Milhouse," Cassie added.

Zhane snickered. "Everyone knows mustard stains are notoriously difficult to get out of clothes."

"I found that mustard contains a yellow dye called turmeric. It is the primary cause of mustard stains. Because it sets in so quickly, it must be dealt with right away. Unfortunately, many people don't do that," Karone explained.

"At least you can get mustard out of your hair by washing it with shampoo," Zhane said, turning to her.

"How about I squirt mustard into your hair, so I can eat it?" Karone suggested, gazing at him.

"You can on one condition," Zhane said, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"What's that?" Karone wondered.

"You have to let me squirt mustard in your hair and eat it," Zhane commented, winking at her.

Karone nodded. "It's a deal."

Zhane pinched his girlfriend's cheek and spoke baby talk. She grabbed her boyfriend's wrist and pulled his hand off. She placed it in his lap. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. He let go of her, and they stood up with light grunts.

"It'll be great staying at my uncle's cabin for spring break," Carlos said excitedly. "By the way, Andros and Ashley get the master bedroom."

"Yes!" Andros and Ashley yelled eagerly.

"Oh, man! Karone and I wanted that bedroom!" Zhane whined and let out a fake sniffle.

"Keep whining, Zhane," Carlos responded defiantly. "I'm not changing my mind." He shook his head.

"It was worth a shot," Zhane said, giving a shrug.

"How about all of you move to that cabin permanently?" a female voice said rudely.

The group winced loudly and looked toward Tara standing next to the restrooms. She approached them while smacking her gum.

"Tara, quit smacking your gum," Kendrix hissed angrily and grabbed a fistful of hair. "You know it's rude."

"I don't care. I'll smack it as much as I want," Tara answered in defiance. "You may not be wearing glasses anymore, Kendrix, but you're still as ugly as ever."

"It's ironic you say that because your attitude makes you ugly," Kendrix retorted in determination.

Leo straightened his notebook. "Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly is all the way to the bone."

Tara rolled her eyes. "All I am hearing is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah—"

"How many times are you going to say that word?" Andros demanded.

"When I get tired. That will be never," Tara said, snickering softly as she looked toward him. "By the way, Andros, how is your stupid job at the Surf Spot going? Have you begged Adelle for a raise yet?" She pretended to spit at him.

"It's going very well," Andros answered matter-of-factly. "I would never beg Adelle for a raise, especially since I've been working for her for only a little over a month."

"On the other hand, all of us can see you demanding her to give you a raise if you were working for her right away," Ashley added.

Tara mouthed Ashley's sentence mockingly. The expectant mother felt tempted to go over and scream in her face, but she knew that was what the bully wanted. She decided not to bother.

"Ashley is right. You believe you're entitled to have everything you want in life," Cassie hissed bluntly.

"That is very true. Daddy says the world revolves around people like us. It should bow at our feet," Tara sneered.

"The world doesn't revolve around anyone. Nor does it bow at anyone's feet," Kendrix said through clenched teeth. "Moreover, money will never buy happiness."

"Whoever said money doesn't buy happiness is an idiot. It does buy that. Daddy's money allows me to afford the best stuff," Tara said, turning her nose upward.

"Material possessions make you happy temporarily," Ashley growled. "To reignite your happiness, you have to get more."

"I will continue to get more great stuff," Tara hissed in irritation. "You guys are such…"

As Tara continued to talk, Andros gazed at her belt and black pants. He narrowed his eyes at them. The belt unbuckled itself. Ashley noticed this and struggled to keep herself from laughing. He made the button and zipper undo themselves. He looked at Tara once he was finished.

"That's why money buys happiness," Tara said, putting her hands on sides

"Keep saying that, Tara," Kendrix retorted with an annoyed scoff.

"It will never become true," Leo added.

"You'll get it eventually. Now, if you will excuse me—" Tara said and turned to walk away. Her pants fell down, revealing she was wearing green underwear with Spongebob Squarepants all over it. She tripped and fell flat on her face. The entire group laughed hysterically. Some students came to a stop and did the same.

"None of us knew you liked Spongebob Squarepants stuff!" Carlos yelled.

"You should take a trip to Bikini Bottom to see him!" Cassie joked.

The group upped the volume of their laughter. Tara stood up, showing much humiliation. She pulled up her pants. She zipped them and buttoned them. She buckled her belt. She became angry as she turned around. She looked at Andros, Zhane, and Karone. Everyone quieted down.

"One of you did this!" Tara screeched.

Andros balled his hand into a fist and pumped it. "I did it with my telekinesis. You were too busy blabbing to even notice."

"We thought you got a bigger attention span for Christmas, but we were wrong," Ashley commented.

Cassie nodded sharply. "You didn't get any humility either."

"Oh, shut the hell up," Tara leered and stuck her tongue out at the group. She pulled it back into her mouth. "Enjoy your dead-end jobs. You'll be stuck at them forever." She hissed.

"Yeah, right," Ashley said sarcastically.

Tara huffed and walked off. She pushed two students aside as she passed them. They shook their heads and headed left.

"Someone needs to put a sock in Tara's mouth and tie her hands behind her back, so she can't remove it," Justin commented and ran his tongue over his teeth.

"That someone also needs to tape that sock to her mouth, so she can't spit it out," Leo added.

"Yep," Karone agreed. She looked at her watch and whistled softly. "We need to get to our next classes before we get detention." She gazed at the others.

"You're right, Karone," Cassie said, nodding at her.

"See you, guys," Ashley replied. She and Cassie approached their lockers. Andros, Carlos, and Kendrix walked down the hallway in front of the stairs. Leo, TJ, and Justin headed right. Zhane and Karone went left.


	105. Getting In

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred five of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred six.

XXXXX

Chapter 105: Getting In

Andros stood next to the trashcan in the late morning. He was waiting for Ashley to come out of the women's restroom because nausea had hit her after their friends parted ways at her and Cassie's lockers. He smoothed his blue t-shirt out with both hands. He clasped them together before putting them in front of him.

He snorted softly. He wondered how long it would take her morning sickness to begin to subside now that she was getting into her second trimester. He knew there was a possibility it might get worse before it got better. He hoped that didn't happen. He also hoped that it didn't return in the later part of her pregnancy, but he was prepared to deal with it. After all, he had gotten quite used to it.

He looked toward two students whispering to each other as they stood next to the lockers behind the trashcan. They turned to him and formed disapproving expressions on their faces. They shifted their attention back to each other and resumed their whispering. He gazed down the hallway in front of the stairs. He watched students walk in different directions. They seemed to go in slow motion, almost as if they were about to freeze in place.

The young man saw the students walk down the left hallway. He stood and made his way toward the women's restroom. He stopped in front of it before slipping his hands in his pockets. He looked toward the stairs. He watched students go up and down them. He shifted his attention back to the door. His girlfriend came out while wiping her mouth.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered with a nod. "It's a good thing to have the bathroom so close. I can rush right in when I feel morning sickness coming on." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the women's restroom.

"You raced in there so fast that I didn't have time to move," Andros said as his girlfriend lowered her arm. "At least I am used to the morning sickness now."

"I've got my prenatal vitamins with me," Ashley said and patted her backpack's strap as it hung over her shoulder. "Many expectant mothers don't realize how important they really are."

"Unfortunately," Andros muttered, sighing heavily. "Look on the bright side. This bout of nausea has passed. We can go to class now."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Yep. We don't have far to go before we reach Ms. Applebee's classroom." She squeaked.

He shook his head. "Nope—"

"Don't you dare say another of Ducky's lines. You will become her. I'm warning you," Ashley quipped.

"Hey, I can't help it if I love her so much," Andros retorted playfully and ruffled her hair. He laughed at her swatting her hand aside.

"That's enough," Ashley warned while shaking her finger at him. "We need to get to class."

Andros and Ashley were about to head off when they heard a girl yell out. They looked toward An-Mei glaring at Bianca, who had a big smirk on her face. The girls were standing in front of the stairs.

"You really need to stop coming up behind me and hitting me in the back of my head, Bianca," An-Mei hissed angrily. "You've got to be getting bored picking on me."

"No, I'm not," Bianca responded as her smirk grew wider. "It's so much fun picking on you, An-Mei. This is especially true for half-breeds like you." She slapped the girl in the shoulder.

"For the last time, I'm not a half-breed. I'm biracial," An-Mei snapped as she narrowed her eyes at her. "I may be of two races, but I am damn proud of it. I can get the best of both worlds."

"What you really are is an ugly mutt," Bianca sneered. "Boys keep saying you are beautiful, but it's just lies." She laughed evilly. "They see you as an ugly person."

"Your attitude is what makes you ugly," An-Mei retorted defiantly. "No boy will ever want you, even if he happens to have the same attitude as you do."

"Love is such a stupid emotion," Bianca hissed, poking her in the shoulder with her finger. "I really do believe you will end up just like your parents."

"As I said before, it won't happen if I take precautions," An-Mei said with a snort. "Now, go away. I have to go to class."

An-Mei walked left. Unfortunately, Bianca came up behind her again and knocked her algebra book out from underneath her arm. This sent it clattering to the floor. An-Mei turned around and bent down to get it, but Bianca picked it up and held it above her head. An-Mei jumped in an effort to get it, but her rival put it higher.

"Stop it, Bianca! Give me my book back!" An-Mei pleaded.

"Sure. Here it comes," Bianca said as she lowered it. She put it behind her back when An-Mei tried to grab it. "It went behind my back. Oh, silly me."

"Come on. Give it back," An-Mei yelled. She attempted to get it from behind Bianca, only for her to bring it in front of her and put it above her head. She jumped for it. Unfortunately, she couldn't get it. "Please, stop it."

"Unh-unh," Bianca leered and put it behind her. "Look at how pathetic you are. You can't even get this book back from me."

Bianca placed the book above her head again. An-Mei attempted to jump for it again, but her rival put it higher while laughing sinisterly. Andros couldn't watch anymore. He stomped up behind Bianca to snatch the book out of her hand. She hissed fiercely and spun around.

"You just can't resist tormenting An-Mei, can you?" Andros said angrily while flaring his nostrils.

"The Red Astro Ranger came to An-Mei's rescue. How sweet, not!" Bianca sneered. She gazed over the expectant father's shoulder at Ashley. "The Yellow Astro Ranger shouldn't have come with you." She turned back to him. "You wouldn't want the stress of seeing me bullying the half-breed to harm her babies, would you?"

Andros growled fiercely. "No, I wouldn't, but she's not stressed much at all. You need stop bullying people. On top of that, you should stop calling An-Mei a half-breed."

Bianca huffed. "I won't because she is a half-breed. Race-mixing is against the laws of nature. Everyone needs to breed with their own race."

"You may think that, but we don't," Ashley growled in anger and went to Andros's side. "Two people of different races have a right to be in a romantic relationship. An-Mei's inner person grows more beautiful every day. Yours grows uglier."

"You will never be a beautiful Asian woman. Your inner ugliness is so bad that it will never go away," Andros growled in bluntness.

"My face may not be clear right now, but it will be one day. Then I will be beautiful," Bianca said as she turned her nose upward. "Outer beauty will always be more important than inner beauty will."

"Saying that constantly will never make it true," Ashley said with a small growl.

An-Mei pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Face it. No guy will ever be interested in a brat like you. In fact, I think he'd run screaming for the hills the second he realized you were one."

"Yeah, right," Bianca said while waving the trio off. She turned to Ashley, who showed defiance. "How are things going with Dr. Chen, Ashley? He needs to be fired from his profession because he was a teen dad. He needs to be flipping burgers at McDonald's. Teen parents deserve to be there."

"Kai will never be fired from his profession. He is a very skilled obstetrician. Any teen mom who has him is very lucky," Ashley retorted.

"Kai and Brittany may have made a mistake as teens, but they don't let it define them," Andros added sternly.

"After I graduate from medical school, I hope to do my residency with my father. He'd be a great teacher to show me the ropes of his profession. It is possible I will start my own medical practice in that. Last but not least, stop holding your nose so high. You will drown when it rains," An-Mei said, wiggling her eyebrows.

The trio laughed raucously. Bianca hissed and walked past them as they turned around. She headed upstairs, going around a student as he came down. He reached the bottom and walked right. The trio looked at each other.

"At least Bianca avoided that student," Ashley commented in relief.

"Yes, but she still has very little civility," An-Mei muttered, rolling her eyes. "She probably won't ever get any more."

"Unfortunately," Andros agreed and gave the book to her. "Here you go."

An-Mei gave him a sweet smile. "Thanks for getting this back from me again. I appreciate it." She patted his shoulder.

"You're welcome. Your father made me feel even more comfortable at my second ultrasound appointment than he did at the first one," Ashley whispered in a warm voice.

"He told me you two were overjoyed at hearing the twins' heartbeats on the ultrasound. He actually shed a few happy tears," An-Mei admitted.

Ashley felt tears come to her eyes. "That's so sweet. I think I might get some cavities. Someone had better schedule me a dentist appointment."

"I'll do that for you," Andros said with a chuckle.

An-Mei slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. "I loved my visit to New York City. _The Lion King: The Broadway Musical_ was so wonderful. I wished my parents and I could've seen it a second time before we left, but we can't always get what we want."

"If everyone got what they want all the time, the whole universe would be in a state of constant chaos," Ashley muttered tensely.

"This universe has so many spoiled brats that it isn't funny," Andros mumbled, shuddering in disgust.

"My parents knew a lot of spoiled brats when they were young. Those brats picked on them constantly. They told them they'd never amount to anything. They became huge failures by the time they were adults because they couldn't cope with the fact that nothing would be handed to them on a silver platter," An-Mei said bluntly.

"I don't feel any sympathy for them. They brought it on themselves," Ashley said and mumbled inaudible words.

"Yep," An-Mei agreed. "Anyway, my father told me you are taking very good care of yourself. I'm proud of you."

"I do my hardest to keep my weight gain on track," Ashley whispered and emitted a shuddering cry. "I pray I don't go into premature labor."

"Many mothers do everything right, but they still give birth to premature babies. It's life," An-Mei said honestly.

Ashley was about to say something else when the bell rang. She, Andros, and An-Mei gave each other nervous glances. Students rushed past them in an effort to get to their classes.

"We should get to class now," An-Mei said.

"I can see Ms. Applebee will excuse us for being late due to morning sickness," Ashley whispered in relief.

"It was nice talking to you," An-Mei said and resumed walking left. She peered over her shoulder at the couple. "Thanks for helping me with Bianca again."

"You're welcome," Ashley responded as An-Mei looked ahead. She turned to her boyfriend. "We need get to Ms. Applebee's classroom."

"Of course," Andros agreed. They walked right while putting their arms around each other. "It was nice to see An-Mei again. I wish it didn't involve her being bullied by Bianca."

"I hope we'll see her at the Surf Spot this afternoon," Ashley said, a small smile crossing her lips.

"I'd like that," Andros said in a warm voice. "Of course, I do have to work this afternoon. I will have to ask Adelle about having spring break off soon. It will be here before we know it."

"Mm-hmm," Ashley answered and his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," Andros responded and hugged her a little tighter. They continued going down the hallway.


	106. Moving Along

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred six of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, and TJ/Cassie. I will begin thinking of a title for the sequel. I don't know when it will be revealed, but I hope it will be soon. I don't want anyone badgering me over it because I may go through several before I come up with one. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred seven.

XXXXX

Chapter 106: Moving Along

Ms. Applebee handed a stack of worksheets containing an assignment on the Renaissance to the student sitting at the first desk in the first row in her classroom. He laid one on his desk and handed it to the student behind him. She gave the stacks to each student in the first desk of the second and third rows. The students at those desks handed the worksheets to the ones behind them. She approached the first desk in the fourth row.

The door opened with a slight squeak. The students at the third desks in the second and third rows stopped what they were doing. They, their teacher, and the other students gazed at it to see Andros and Ashley walk in. Andros closed the door behind him. He and his girlfriend headed to the front of their teacher's desk.

Eighteen-year-old Shelly Ling tapped her finger her desk. She was seated at the third desk in the fourth row. As an Asian, she was petite and somewhat pale. Her long black hair was straight, save for curls at the tips. Her eyes were light brown. Her eyebrows were thin, almost invisible. Her right hand had a scar across the back of it. The lower part of her left arm had two scars that crisscrossed. She cleared her throat, causing them to look at her.

"Let me guess. Ashley had a bout of morning sickness," Shelly suggested.

"You guessed right, Shelly," Ashley replied and groaned frustratingly. "I have absolutely no idea when it will stop completely."

"I remember how that felt. I had morning sickness twice a day until the fifth month of my pregnancy, despite eating crackers and taking prenatal vitamins in the early morning. It returned by my eighth month, but I had it once every four to six days," Shelly pointed out sympathetically.

"I don't want that to happen. Neither does Ashley," Andros said, looking a little nervous.

"No expectant parent does," Ms. Applebee said gently and turned to Shelly. "It doesn't matter how many children parents have. Morning sickness will vary with each one."

"With some pregnancies, there is no morning sickness at all," Shelly said, smiling lightly.

"That's right, Shelly," Ms. Applebee said, winking at her. She looked toward Andros and Ashley. She approached them as students resumed handing the worksheets back. "You don't need to worry. You are excused for being late due to morning sickness."

"Thanks," Ashley answered.

"If you need some crackers, Ashley, I have some with me," Shelly called as she pointed her finger at her backpack on the floor.

"Thanks, Shelly," Ashley said, gazing at the young mother along with Andros and Ms. Applebee. "However, I have some with me."

"Okay," Shelly said, nodding at her. "I'll give you some if you run out, though."

"It's a deal," Ashley said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Shelly gave another nod to the expectant mother. She reached into her backpack to get her pencil. Ms. Applebee, Andros, and Ashley turned to each other. She watched the couple as they took off their backpacks. They unzipped them and got out their schoolwork. They gave them to her. They received a smile from her.

Ms. Applebee gave Andros the worksheets. She went to her desk to sit down. The couple headed to their desks and seated themselves. They set their backpacks on the floor. Andros put a worksheet on his desk and gave them to Ashley. She laid one on hers and passed the rest to Shelly, who placed one on hers before handing them to the student behind her.

Andros and Ashley grabbed pencils from their backpacks. They were about to start working on their worksheets when they heard a clearing throat. They looked over their shoulders at Shelly, who waved at them. She leaned forward while taking slow yet even breaths.

"Yeah, Shelly?" Andros whispered.

"I thought I'd tell you that I am attending the teen parent support group meeting tomorrow," Shelly answered.

"We're attending it too," Ashley said, smiling. "We're a little nervous about it since it's our first." She shrugged. "We don't know how the participants will react to us going from Power Rangers to teen parents."

Shelly showed sympathy. "I understand. Remain calm as you tell your story. Don't let any cruel comments get to you if they are spoken."

"That's what everyone has told us," Andros commented.

"Dougie and I were nervous when we attended our first meeting with the Heartfelt Teen Parent Support Group at the Heartfelt Teen Center. We were going to Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver," Shelly admitted, sighing heavily. "I was just three months pregnant with Nellie at the time. We revealed we were straight-A students while we told our story. One of the participants told us we were big jokes and that we were supposed to set good examples for other young people. Her name was Gaby Yang, and this was her first meeting as well."

Ashley scoffed irritatingly. "I can't believe she said that."

"Yeah, but Dougie and I didn't let it bother us," Shelly replied in a gentle voice. "Anyway, Gaby told everyone she was four months pregnant with twins. She said the name of her children's father was Arnold Sparks and that he abandoned her when she told him. She said she was kicked out of her home by her parents and went to live with her grandmother. She said her obstetrician's name was Teresa Marisol, who was mine as well. Several participants were crying by the time she was finished. Dougie and I sensed that something wasn't right. I called Dr. Marisol and asked if she was caring for Gaby Yang. She said she didn't know anyone by that name. My mom hired a private investigator to do some digging up on Gaby after we told our parents about what she said. He revealed that she was still living at the same address as her parents. He also accessed records from every hospital and obstetrician clinic in Denver. None of them had any record of Gaby going in for prenatal care."

"So, she lied about being kicked out of her parents' house," Ashley whispered in shock.

"Dougie and I told Ms. Starks about Gaby's deception. She was shocked. She was the director of the teen center. All three of us confronted Gaby when she attended the next meeting. Gaby admitted she wasn't pregnant with twins. She said she was craving attention and that her parents encouraged her to fake a twin pregnancy and add a sob story to it. She said she wore pillowing to make it appear she was four months pregnant with twins. Ms. Starks told her she needed help and sent her to Dr. Parson for therapy. She, her parents, and her grandmother moved away soon after the sessions were finished. No one knows if she stopped seeking attention or what," Shelly finished.

"I'd love to smack every woman who has faked a pregnancy and hurt a bunch of people in the process in the face really hard," Ashley hissed angrily. "This is especially true for the women who faked pregnancies to keep men from leaving them."

Andros rolled his eyes. "Faking pregnancy won't make a man stay."

"I've heard of stories about women who faked pregnancies in order to avoid being beat up by bullies or raped. It saved them from harm," Shelly pointed out.

"That's the only time I can see faking pregnancy as being beneficial," Ashley commented seriously. "All other times are just wrong."

"Some people refuse to harm pregnant women," Andros added.

Ms. Applebee cleared her throat. Andros, Ashley, and Shelly looked toward her. They saw a serious look on her face.

"Andros, Ashley, Shelly, would you three please stop talking?" Ms. Applebee asked softly. "You three may be teen parents, but you don't get special treatment. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," the three students replied.

"Thank you," Ms. Applebee answered sweetly. She saw Ashley rubbing her stomach. "Do you need to eat your crackers, Ashley?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes, I do, ma'am."

Ms. Applebee smiled. "You may go ahead."

Ashley grabbed a plastic bag filled with crackers from her backpack. She set it on her desk. She opened it and pulled out a cracker. She nibbled on it. She felt Shelly tap her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder at her. So did Andros with his.

"I thought I'd tell you that I have second lunch," Shelly said.

"So do Andros and me, though we haven't seen you in the cafeteria at the time," Ashley admitted.

"I sit at the tables closest to the doors," Shelly pointed out calmly. "I like to be out of there quickly." She giggled to herself.

"Would you like to sit with Ashley, Zhane, Karone, and me?" Andros suggested, licking his lips. "We'd like to get to know you better."

"I'd like that. Thanks," Shelly answered with a big smile on her face. "Now, let's get to work on this assignment before Ms. Applebee fusses at us again."

Andros, Ashley, and Shelly shifted their attention to their worksheets. They proceeded to work on them.

00000

The bell rang forty-four minutes later. Students filed out of their classrooms. Many went to their lockers. Others headed for their next classes. Andros and Ashley turned left while Shelly went right after they exited Ms. Applebee's classroom. They peered over their shoulders at her. They let out soft snorts before pressing their lips together.

"Bye, Shelly. It was nice talking to you at the beginning of class," Andros called, waving at the young mother along with his girlfriend.

"You too, Andros, Ashley," Shelly said, looking over her shoulder at the couple. She waved to them. "I'll look for you at lunch."

Andros and Ashley looked ahead as Shelly turned away. They decided to hold hands and swung them back and forth.

"Shelly is so nice. It's great we get to hear her talk instead of Johnny now," Ashley whispered in relief. "I do not miss his voice in the least bit."

"He may have laid low since he got those restraining orders against him, but that doesn't mean he will continue to abide by them," Andros pointed out.

"Since he has charges of felony weapon possession on his record, he could be punished more severely if he were to violate them," Ashley muttered in seriousness.

He sighed softly. "I can see him making lame excuses if he did that."

She huffed in frustration. "I agree. He thinks he was justified pulling his knife on you."

"I do know one thing. He's going to have such a hard time finding a job if he is found guilty of felony weapon possession," Andros muttered bluntly. "Few employers want to hire felons."

"That's right," Ashley agreed. "If he does manage to get a job, it's likely it won't pay a whole lot." She shuddered in disgust. "He'd probably demand a raise right away."

Andros shook his head in disbelief. "Fat chance of that happening. In fact, I could see him getting fired because of that."

Andros and Ashley came upon the stairs, where TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Zhane, Karone, and Justin were gathered. TJ, Cassie, and Carlos stood next to the trashcan. Zhane, Karone, and Justin sat on the stairs. The group looked up as Andros and Ashley stopped before it. Zhane, Karone, and Justin rose to their feet.

"Hey, Andros, Ashley," Justin greeted.

"Hey yourself, Justin," Andros answered, winking at the boy.

"You guys won't believe this, but Andros and I got to talk to Shelly a little bit," Ashley said warmly. "Before Ms. Applebee caught us, that is."

"She told us a participant of the Heartfelt Teen Support Group in Denver faked a pregnancy with twins to get attention. She told a sob story about her parents throwing her out, her boyfriend abandoning her, and going to live with her grandmother. Her name was Gaby Yang," Andros explained, raising his eyebrows.

"No way!" Carlos yelled in shock.

"I'm not kidding, Carlos," Andros commented honestly. "The girl was only fifteen, but she had everyone in her group convinced she was pregnant, except for Dougie and Shelly. Her mom hired a private investigator after Shelly found out her obstetrician didn't know Gaby. He found everything else Gaby said was a lie."

"Faking a pregnancy with one baby is hard, but faking one with twins is difficult," Cassie said seriously.

"You said it, Cass," TJ agreed and slipped his arm around her waist. "Everyone knows most women who are pregnant with two or more babies are bigger than those who are carrying only one." He suppressed a yawn.

"A woman would have to be really smart in order to fake a pregnancy with multiple babies," Cassie whispered thoughtfully. "Many smart women are arrogant enough to think their fake pregnancies won't be exposed."

"The worst thing about what Gaby did is her parents actually encouraged her to fake a twin pregnancy. It's like they wanted her to be the center of attention," Ashley said, her voice lined with some anger.

"Parents encouraging their kids to do naughty things is so low," Karone hissed fiercely.

"Not to mention they make excuses for their bad behavior," Zhane added and took her hand into his.

"Anyway, it's good that Gaby was exposed for the faker she was. I do wonder if you and Ashley will encounter a girl like at your first meeting with the support group," TJ whispered, bringing his hand upward to run it over Cassie's hair.

"I hope not, but Ashley and I can take comfort in the fact that Shelly will be at the meeting tomorrow," Andros said with much relief.

"It may be her first meeting with the Angel Grove group, but she has much experience. It's all thanks to her attending the meetings with the Denver group," Ashley said, her face radiating with happiness.

TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Zhane, Karone, and Justin smiled lightly. They were glad that Andros and Ashley's world history classmate would be attending the meeting at the Angel Grove Teen Parent Support Group. They felt the couple could use the support of an experienced teen mother.

"Not only did we get to talk to Shelly, but she will also be joining us, Zhane, and Karone for second lunch," Andros announced.

Karone felt her jaw drop. "Really?"

Ashley nodded rapidly. "Yeah, Karone. Andros asked her, and she accepted his offer."

"It'd be great to get to know Shelly better," Zhane yelled eagerly.

"Oh, yeah," Karone said and gazed at him. "Just don't stuff fries in her face like she's ketchup." She snickered.

Zhane ruffled her hair. "Oh, you."

"I felt so sorry for Shelly when Ms. Applebee told us Nellie's father, Dougie, died from leukemia a year after her birth on our first day back," Ashley whispered in sadness. "It's not easy being a single parent, no matter what their age."

"Single mothers are more likely to end up in poverty than single fathers are," Carlos muttered grimly.

"At least Shelly has grandmother caring for her two-year-old while she is at school. Both of her parents work as doctors at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. If her grandmother wasn't around, then Nellie would be in daycare," Cassie said, feeling TJ pat her shoulder.

Justin shrugged. "Yes, but that wouldn't a bad thing. Nellie would be able to interact with other children."

"Of course, it's rare for two-year-olds to have friendships," Carlos pointed out matter-of-factly.

Ashley chuckled and looked at her watch. She emitted a long whistle before turning to the others.

"We better head to our next classes," Ashley suggested.

"Karone and I will see you and Andros at lunch, Ash," Zhane answered in sweetness and let go of Karone.

"You too," Ashley said, winking at the couple. She and Andros went down the hallway in front of the stairs. TJ, Cassie, and Justin raced upstairs. Zhane and Carlos walked left. Karone headed right.


	107. Let Someone At Them

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred seven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. This chapter has some Andros/Ashley and Zhane/Karone. This fic is drawing closer to the end. There are about six more chapters to go before it is finally finished. I won't start the sequel for a while. I created Shelly because I wanted Andros and Ashley to relate to another student who is in the same situation as they are. Shelly's situation is unlike that of most teen moms because Dougie wasn't in Nellie's life not because he ran out on her. It was due to having died from leukemia. Dougie wanted to be a father to his child, but he never got that chance. Despite this, Shelly goes on with her life raising Nellie with the help of her parents and grandmother. I think having her as the new girl in town makes things even more realistic as she doesn't have many friends yet, but she got a chance to get to know Andros and Ashley better. In turn, she will likely get to know their friends better. She will make more friends at the Angel Grove Teen Parent Support Group. She can provide help to Andros and Ashley because she is experienced in this area. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred eight.

XXXXX

Chapter 107: Let Someone At Them

The cafeteria was somewhat crowded at noon. Andros, Ashley, Shelly, Zhane, and Karone sat at the seventh table. The first two were in the fourth, fifth, and sixth seats on the left. The last two were across from Andros and Ashley. Shelly listened to Andros tell her about how he embarrassed Tara just before second period started. She snickered after he finished.

"If you ask me, Tara got exactly what she deserved," Shelly said bluntly. "It's too bad you didn't go further, Andros."

"Well, I felt undoing her belt and pants zipper to make them fall down was enough," Andros said, holding up his hands. He placed them on the table before letting out a long yawn.

"Something tells me that making trouble will continue to be the motto of Bianca, Tara, Brian, and Veronica for a long time to come," Karone admitted sadly.

"Hey, what's a-motto with you?" Andros asked in Timon's voice and let out a small laugh.

"Great imitation of Timon's voice, Andros," Shelly said, pointing a finger at the expectant father.

Andros shrugged. "I can't help but imitate it sometimes. I love _The Lion King_ so much."

"Me too. It's always so funny when Timon stops Pumbaa from saying farted. He didn't want him to embarrass Simba," Shelly said with a sweet smile.

"No one wants to embarrass someone, but it happens. You just have to deal with it. It doesn't last forever," Ashley responded, giving a shrug. She picked up her regular milk to sip it. She put it down. "Just don't let anyone fart in your face. You'll end up on your back from the stinky smell." She squeaked before clapping twice.

Shelly slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. "Timon and Pumbaa are my favorite comic relief group. The hyenas are my second favorite."

"Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are cool. It's strange Ed is the only character without an African-sounding name," Zhane commented. He grabbed his burger and bit into it. He proceeded to chew while laying it down.

"I enjoy Ed's laugh," Shelly said and imitated Ed's laugh. She became quiet after five seconds. "His craziness sends me into giggles every time I see it." She crossed her left ankle over her right.

Zhane swallowed, gulping quietly. "Shenzi and Banzai were funny when they made jokes about Simba, Nala, and Zazu sticking around for dinner. He said, 'We can have whatever is lion around.' She said, 'Wait, wait, wait. I got one. I got one. Make mine a cub sandwich. Would you think?' They are just priceless."

"I like how _The Lion King_ is unlike what Disney usually puts out. Simba's mother stays alive throughout it. His father dies partway into it," Karone commented.

"I can see why Scar killed Mufasa. He wanted what his brother had. That was the throne of Pride Rock. He allowed the hyenas to eat to their heart's content after he let them take over the Pride Lands. The hyenas even forced the lionesses to overhunt. This led to a famine that dried up the rivers and killed the vegetation. The herds had to find food and water elsewhere," Ashley mumbled dejectedly.

"I was shocked at how gray the Pride Lands looked after _Hakuna Matata,_ " Karone said, shuddering a little bit. "Simba forgot about his father and who he was after he went to live with Timon and Pumbaa. His past was always on his mind, though."

"Mufasa's ghost appeared before Simba and told him he needed to take his place in the Circle of Life. Simba was reluctant to do this, but Mufasa's telling him to remember who he was gave him the push he needed to return home," Andros said with much warmth.

"Yep," Shelly agreed.

"Of all the Disney villains, Scar is the biggest narcissist of all," Ashley said tensely. "Johnny, Brian, Bianca, Tara, and Veronica pale in comparison to him for now."

"Narcissists often become very popular, but their popularity declines eventually," Andros pointed out.

"I can see that happening to those five if they had a bunch of friends. They wouldn't care about them at all. They'd see them as narcissistic supply. They keep them around until they aren't useful anymore," Zhane hissed with much bluntness.

"Ditto," Karone agreed. She kissed his cheek before rubbing it. "Everyone has narcissism, but it's much more pronounced in some people than it is in others."

"Unfortunately. At least we can take comfort in the fact that most everyone we know has a low level of narcissism," Zhane said as he put his arm around her.

Karone looked at him. "Yep."

Zhane kissed Karone's forehead twice before rubbing it. He released his hold on her, and they gazed at Andros, Ashley, and Shelly. Ashley grabbed her fork and poked it into her salad, which was covered in mustard. She got a decent amount on it before putting it in her mouth. She chewed slowly but surely and swallowed with a quiet gulp.

"Mustard-covered salad tastes so good right now," Ashley squeaked with great glee.

"It makes me wonder if you will crave ketchup-covered salad next," Andros said, turning to her as he touched her stomach.

"If that's what the babies want," Ashley answered truthfully while laying her hand over his. She looked at him. "I remember that Mollie craved ice cream and her mother's cooking before she learned she was pregnant with Mikey in _Look Who's Talking._ "

"I remember that too. She didn't like either food," Shelly commented, clearing her throat. "I actually craved ranch dressing-covered ice cream once."

"No way!" Ashley blurted out as she, Andros, Zhane, and Karone looked at her shockingly.

"I'm not kidding," Shelly said, giggling. "Grandma joked that I would start craving ketchup-covered pancakes next. She turned out to be right because I craved that for breakfast a few days later."

"Grandparents can sense stuff many people can't. So can children," Andros commented.

"In _In a Child's Name,_ Theresa's grandfather sensed Ken was bad news and started shouting malmochio countless times. That means evil eye in Italian. Angela Cimarelli could also tell something wasn't right with her sister's fiancé," Shelly whispered, shaking in some fear.

"Both of them were proven right when Ken nearly beat Theresa to death on their honeymoon in Acapulco," Ashley added, sighing heavily. "No matter what Angela did, Theresa wouldn't talk to her. Ken killed Theresa five months after Andrew was born. He spun a ridiculous motive for the murder. He claimed he caught her sexually abusing the baby. His parents stood by him, despite they knew he was a monster. They illegally adopted Andrew after Jerry and Angela won full custody of him. The adoption was thrown out, and Andrew was returned to his uncle and aunt."

"The names of the real people were changed from Peter Maas's book in order to protect them. Andrew's real name was Philip. Jerry and Angela were actually Jeff and Celeste White. Theresa's family was called the Silvanos in the movie. They were the Benignos. Zach and Jean Taylor's names were kept. So were Frank and Janice Miller's names," Shelly said, licking her lips.

"I can see why that the names of the real people were changed. They didn't want people invading their privacy," Zhane said honestly.

"Ken treated Theresa like crap. Then he tried to destroy her good name by claiming she sexually abused Andrew or Philip—whichever you want to call him," Karone said, laughing lightly.

"Janice said she was beaten up a lot by her first husband. She stayed away from people when she had bruises for nine years. She said Theresa was a battered wife like she was. Angela said she thought that, but she pushed it out of her head because she never saw any bruises," Shelly whispered sadly. "Grandma was often beaten by Grandpa. They lived in Boston at the time. Her parents told her to accept it. When he died of a stroke during her pregnancy with my father, she was glad to be free. She went to live with Uncle Barney, where she gave birth to Dad. He helped her to raise him. She vowed never to marry again. Her parents demanded she find a husband, but she didn't listen. She and Barney cut them out of their lives and moved to Denver." She sniffled.

"I can't believe your grandmother's parents didn't care if she was being abused," Zhane said in anger.

"That's how it was in the old days. Abused wives had no choice but to accept the beatings in most cases," Shelly muttered seriously.

"Thank God they don't have to deal with abuse anymore," Karone whispered in much relief. "They have shelters to go to."

"Unfortunately, we can't say the same for abused men," Andros muttered regretfully. "In fact, they are called wimps if they try to get help."

"Men are expected to be tough. If they show any emotion, they are ridiculed," Zhane growled fiercely.

"Dougie was ridiculed for crying when he saw Nellie being born," Shelly said. "He told the hecklers to screw themselves." She smiled proudly.

"Good for him," Ashley said happily. She and the others began talking about what they wanted to wear for graduation.

00000

The cafeteria was less crowded twenty-two minutes later. Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone laughed at Shelly sweeping her hands underneath her armpits and making chittering sounds as if she were a chimpanzee. The young mother formed fists before acting as if she were beating on the table. Everyone had finished his or her lunches and dumped his or her trash.

"Come on, Shelly. Beat on that table," Zhane encouraged.

"Break it in half," Ashley yelled and clapped three times.

"It's been mean to you," Andros commented and crossed his arms.

"All right," Shelly said with eagerness. She hit the table with her fists six times. He made the sound of it breaking in half. "There. I've broken it in half."

"Nice job," the others called.

Shelly showed great pride. She uncurled her hands before laying them on the table. She tapped her fingers on it. Andros uncrossed his arms.

"I'm sure you have fun teaching Nellie how to be animals, imitate auto engines, etc.," Andros suggested.

"Oh, I do," Shelly admitted, happiness beaming from her face. "I can't wait for her to do stuff for me on Mother's Day."

Ashley wrapped her arm around Andros's. "I can't wait for the twins to do stuff for me on Mother's Day." She looked at him.

Andros patted her hand. "As do I on Father's Day. Ashley and I are looking forward to see who the twins will look like."

"Something tells me each twin will have features of one parent or both," Shelly commented in thoughtfulness.

"What Andros and Ashley need to do is give up their twins for adoption. So should Shelly with Nellie," a male voice said snobbishly.

Andros, Ashley, Shelly, Zhane, and Karone looked at Herbert walking toward the former two. He looked at the teen parents disapprovingly as he stopped beside Ashley. He straightened his blue tie.

"Well, Shelly is sitting next to Angel Grove's newest teen parents. I bet it's nice to be friends with them now," Herbert said sarcastically.

"Yes, it is, Mr. Richards," Shelly answered honestly.

"You, Andros, and Ashley need to go to an alternative school. You three belong there," Herbert leered while shaking his finger at the trio.

"We don't belong in an alternative school, sir. We belong here," Andros said in determination.

"We have every right to graduate with our peers," Ashley added.

"You don't deserve that right," Herbert growled and flared his nostrils. "In the old days, Andros, Ashley, Dougie, and Shelly would've been kicked out of school. Ashley and Shelly would've been sent to unwed teen mothers' homes."

"That would've happened only if our parents weren't supportive of us. Our parents would've been fine with us raising our children back then. They would've told us to marry first, though," Shelly hissed.

"We would've done as they requested," Ashley said matter-of-factly.

"Just you wait. This school will have a principal who will get rid of its teen parent program someday. All teen parents will have no choice but to go to alternative schools," Hebert said, smirking.

"You're dreaming if you think the schoolboard will install such a principal," Mr. Kaplan said as he walked up to the teacher. Andros, Ashley, Shelly, Zhane, Karone, and Herbert turned to him. Herbert's smirk faded. "Andros, Ashley, and Shelly are doing very well in their studies. They are determined to remain focused on them while dealing with their situation. They are the most moralistic students I have ever come across. If Dougie were here, I'd say the same about him."

"Andros, Ashley, Dougie and Shelly have morals? Don't make me laugh. Both couples showed they had no morals when they had premarital sex and conceived their children. The children are illegitimate," Herbert hissed with much rudeness.

"Out-of-wedlock children are no different from in-wedlock children. They are all the same," Zhane said defiantly.

"How can you call my brother, his girlfriend, Dougie, and Shelly immoral when you were bonking another woman behind your wife's back?" Karone asked bitterly.

"I think you'll find a picture of yourself underneath hypocrite in the dictionary," Andros pointed out.

"Maybe I am a hypocrite, but that doesn't matter," Herbert retorted with a scoff. "What matters is…"

As Herbert continued to talk, Andros looked at his belt and black pants. He narrowed his eyes at them. The buckle undid itself. Mr. Kaplan noticed this. He struggled to keep himself from laughing. Andros made the button and zipper undo themselves. He turned back to Herbert once he finished.

"That's why today's youth have no morals whatsoever," Herbert said.

"Keep saying it, sir. That won't make it true," Ashley answered.

"It is. Now, if you will excuse me—" Herbert said and turned to walk away. His pants fell down, which revealed he was wearing green underwear with red polka dots all over it. He tripped and fell flat on his face. Andros, Ashley, Shelly, Zhane, Karone, and Mr. Kaplan broke into a fit of laughter. Some students at the eighth table looked over their shoulders at him. They joined in on it.

"I didn't know you liked wearing polka-dotted underwear, Herbert. I think you should wear it all the time!" Mr. Kaplan yelled.

The group upped the volume of their laughter. Herbert stood up, showing great humiliation. He pulled up his pants, zipping and buttoning them. He buckled his belt and shot glares at Andros, Zhane, and Karone. Everyone became quiet.

"One of you did this," Herbert hissed angrily.

"I did. You were too busy blabbing to notice," Andros admitted.

Herbert looked at Mr. Kaplan. "You need to send Andros to detention along with everyone who laughed at me!"

Mr. Kaplan crossed his arms. "Not a chance, Herbert. Karma finally bit you on the butt. You needed it big time. Perhaps you will now leave teen parents alone and accept the teen parent program is staying."

Herbert huffed and stomped away from the principal. He headed out the door leading outside. Mr. Kaplan and the teens looked at each other.

"I don't think we've seen the last of him," Zhane commented.

"No, but it was fun watching him be humiliated in front of Mr. Kaplan," Ashley said proudly.

"It sure was," Mr. Kaplan said, laughing lightly. He scratched his neck, followed by his arm. "I don't think I've seen anyone as humiliated as Herbert just was."

"At least he didn't have trouble getting up like some people do after they fall down," Shelly pointed out. "It would've been funny to see him slipping and sliding, though."

"You are quite right, Shelly," Mr. Kaplan agreed. He looked up when the bell rang. He shifted his attention back to the others. "Your five better get back to your classes."

"We will, sir," Karone answered.

Mr. Kaplan turned around and walked away. The students stood up and started leaving the cafeteria. Andros, Ashley, Shelly, Zhane, and Karone got their backpacks. They put them over their shoulders. They managed to get through the crowd. Andros, Karone, and Shelly walked left. Zhane and Ashley went right.


	108. Never an Absolution

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred eight of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I have five chapters to go before this fic comes to an end. This chapter has some TJ/Cassie. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred nine.

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Chapter 108: Never an Absolution

The cafeteria was filled with activity thirty-three minutes later. A student carried her tray toward the trashcan next to the door leading outside. She passed TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Kendrix, who were chatting away at the eighth table. TJ, Cassie, and Kendrix were in the second, third, and fourth seats on the right. Carlos and Justin had the second and third seats on the left.

"And the guy said, 'That's no kindergartener. That's my wife!'" TJ shouted and laughed gleefully.

"I can't get enough of that joke, Teej," Cassie said and slapped him on his back.

Kendrix smiled. "Principal Prickly may be a stern principal, but he does have a good sense of humor."

"He sure does," Carlos said and picked up his hamburger. He bit into it and put it down. He chewed quickly before swallowing with a loud gulp. "Too many principals are dead serious. Mr. Kaplan isn't one of them." He smiled. "He has a great sense of humor."

"I can't count the number times he's threatened to make us do jumping jacks or pushups before sending us to detention if he caught us in the hall without passes," Justin commented with a snicker. He pulled a sausage off his pizza and placed it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed quickly. "I enjoy seeing Randall snitching on other students." He smirked. "Ms. Finster sees him as her pet."

Carlos clapped. "I'd love to team up with TJ and play pranks on people. It'd be so much fun, especially if we played some on teachers and students who caused us trouble."

"It'd be great to see some of those pranks backfire on both of you," Cassie quipped and wiggled her eyebrows.

Carlos waved Cassie off. Two students headed for the first line and grabbed chocolate milks. Kendrix picked up her fork and poked it into her salad. She got a decent amount on it. She placed it into her mouth. She chewed slowly yet surely before swallowing with a quiet gulp. She put her fork down.

"It's an honor to share my name with the biggest prankster on _Recess,_ " TJ said with great pride.

"Any girl that shares her name with Xena should consider herself honored," Cassie said and emitted a sweet laugh.

Carlos exhaled. "So should any girl that shares her name with Gabrielle."

"As should any girl that shares her name with Ephiny," Justin added softly.

Kendrix sighed contently. "Those tough women have such beautiful names that they take my breath away."

"As do they mine," Cassie said as she pulled a pepperoni off her pizza and popped it into her mouth. She chewed quickly. She swallowed with a loud gulp. "Some women look fragile at first glance, but they prove to be quite tough."

"I know one woman who looks fragile, yet she is one of the toughest women I know," TJ said as he looked down at her with a smile. He grabbed his chocolate milk. He sipped it before putting it down.

Cassie turned to him. "I hope you are talking about me. If you are not, then you are going out the door."

"I _am_ talking about you," TJ answered truthfully and tickled her nose.

"Great," Cassie responded, giggling happily. "If I throw you out the door, then you are welcome to come back in and throw me out."

TJ ruffled Cassie's hair. She pushed his hand away before waving hers in front of his face. She raised it high and jerked it downward. He slapped her on the cheek lightly. She rushed two fingers forward, and he blocked her when he held his hand sideways between his eyes. He pushed her hand down. They smiled at each other. Kendrix laughed, causing them to look at her.

"You two should become Stooges," Kendrix said as she propped her head up with her elbow. "I mean it. You really should."

"If we become Stooges, then you should become one too," TJ suggested.

"You have proven to be just as funny as anyone else in our circles of friends," Cassie added.

"No, thanks. I'll stick with reading science books and inventing stuff," Kendrix said while picking up her fork. She poked it into a cherry tomato. She placed it in her mouth. She chewed in a slow yet sure manner. She swallowed before smacking her lips. "I hope I discover a planet with my telescope in the near future."

"We hope so too," Justin said, scratching his nose.

"Do you think the planet you discover will be habitable?" Carlos asked in curiosity.

"I don't know, but it'd be great if it was. Discovering a gas giant would be cool too," Kendrix commented.

"In _The Empire Strikes Back,_ the gas giant called Bespin had a section of its atmosphere that is breathable to humans. This was where Cloud City resided," Carlos said.

"Perhaps a gas giant Kendrix discovers will have a life zone," Justin said, giving a shrug. "A city could be built for humans to live in."

"I don't think I'd like living in a city located within a gas giant's life zone," TJ muttered uncertainly. "There would always be a risk of falling off its edge."

"Because gas giants have no solid ground, you'd fall forever until you burned up into nothing," Cassie said, cringing badly. "That'd be a horrible way to die."

Kendrix nodded in agreement. She got some salad onto her fork and put it in her mouth. She chewed before swallowing with a loud gulp. She smacked her lips and licked them. She laid her fork down.

"It feels wonderful to have so many friends now," Kendrix whispered warmly. "Sometimes, I wonder if I am dreaming and will wake up any minute. I will find I am still sitting alone and being bullied by others." She sniffled, a tear falling down her cheek.

"I have to say that it was satisfying seeing Tara getting embarrassed in the hallway this morning," Cassie commented, a smirk crossing her face.

"She deserved it for all the shit she has pulled," TJ whispered as he looked toward Mr. Kaplan chatting with Mr. Wilton near the second line. He hoped the principal and teacher didn't hear him. He didn't want them ranting about cursing. He turned back to his friends. "Bulk and Skull were well known for being bullies when they attended this school, but they don't cause trouble anymore. They're very popular sea lion trainers."

Cassie sighed in content. "We had so much fun watching them and the sea lions when you and I visited the aquarium on our first date."

TJ gazed at her. "That we did."

TJ kissed Cassie's temple before rubbing it gingerly. He slipped his arm around her as he shifted his attention toward the others.

"Andros and Ashley will continue to deal with people judging them over becoming teen parents long after their children are born," TJ muttered dejectedly.

"I heard people calling Ashley a slut in the hallway while I was on my way here," Kendrix said angrily. "People need to stop using that word to describe a sexually active girl."

"Just because a girl isn't a virgin doesn't mean she's bad news," TJ said, sighing heavily.

"Society views cheating men as unable to control themselves while it views cheating women as whores," Cassie hissed and clenched her teeth. "Both sexes are equally capable of cheating. Both should be fussed at over it."

"You're right, Cass," TJ agreed.

"I don't see Erica stopping her slutty ways anytime soon. In fact, she called me and bragged about banging a guy she just met at a bar last night. She said I would remain a virgin forever because guys see me as too ugly to have sex with," Kendrix muttered, clenching her teeth.

Carlos scoffed. "What a trashy bitch."

Justin nodded in agreement. "If you ask me, Erica should wear a sign that says 'I'm trashy and proud of it' while standing on a street corner."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Erica admitted she was proud of being trashy," Kendrix said, shuddering loudly. "My parents wouldn't have cared if she slept around. If she got pregnant, they wouldn't have cared if she didn't know who the father of her baby was." She chuckled humorlessly. "If they learned I had sex with a guy, it's more than likely they would've called me a slut. In fact, I could see them blaming me if I was raped."

"Just because a girl has sex with a guy doesn't mean she has to agree to do that again. It doesn't give him a free pass to rape her if she refuses," Carlos said and pressed his lips together.

"What sickens me is how rape victims are often blamed for what happened to them. This is especially true when they resist the rape encounters later rather than earlier. They are told they brought the attacks on themselves by flirting or dressing provocatively," TJ hissed in much disgust.

Kendrix trembled somewhat. "Victim-blaming is partially accepted in many countries, including the United States. It's unbelievable."

"It's believed five percent of all rapes result in pregnancy in this country. Many rape victims have a difficult time bonding with their children because it reminds them of how they were conceived," Cassie added.

"So true," Kendrix agreed. "Others see their children as symbols of hope, despite the circumstances of how they came about. Some have spouses who legally adopt their children." She sniffled.

"The hardest part is the mothers telling their children how they were conceived. If the mothers were in relationships with their rapists, that can make it even more difficult," Justin commented.

"If a rape victim has a spouse and doesn't know who the father of her child is, DNA testing can be used establish paternity. It can be done during pregnancy through blood from the mother as fetal cells float freely in her bloodstream. They can be found as early as the eighth week of pregnancy," Carlos explained.

TJ tried to suppress a yawn, but he couldn't help himself. "If the rapist turns out to be the baby's father, then the couple has to decide where to go from there."

"Whatever the decision they make, it will affect them for the rest of their lives," Kendrix said matter-of-factly.

The others voiced their agreement. Cassie let out a long yawn before smacking her lips. She pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"It's good to know that Andros and Ashley conceived their twins the night they lost their virginities to each other," TJ said.

"It's uncommon for a woman to get pregnant on her first time," Cassie commented softly. "It can happen, even if protection is used."

"It astounds me when men deny they are the fathers of women's children simply because they used protection. No matter how many times couples are cautious, protection is bound to fail at one point or another," Carlos muttered tensely.

"I can never see Andros and Ashley giving up the twins for adoption," Kendrix admitted, clearing her throat. "They're already too attached to them."

"Ashley's grandparents really hurt her when they demanded she marry Andros or give up the twins for adoption. I understand it was normal to wait until after marriage to have children in their time, but they had no right to say what they said," TJ said, hints of frustration showing in his voice.

"I hope she makes up with them. Whenever that will be, that is," Cassie whispered sadly.

Kendrix hissed in determination. "Screw ultimatums. Nobody will tell me to either marry my boyfriend or give up our baby for adoption."

Justin gave her a thumbs-up. "Good for you, Kendrix. You've really blossomed since Cassie protected you from Tara that day."

"I can hardly believe it myself," Kendrix squeaked as she looked at Cassie. "It's not every day nerds like me make lots of friends after they are protected from bullies."

"Even in the old days, nerds were never popular in school, except when they were with each other," Carlos said truthfully.

"Billy was an outcast when he first started Angel Grove High due to being a nerd. By the time he graduated, he was popular with his classmates," Justin pointed out.

"It's great Billy and Ernie are home," Kendrix said, her face beaming with happiness. "Who would've thought they'd surprise us at the Surf Spot's annual Christmas party wearing Santa suits?"

"Adelle and Ernie enjoy working alongside each other. Andros likes having Ernie as his second boss," Justin murmured with great warmth.

Carlos snorted. "I honestly believe Ernie would've given Andros a job if he was still running the Youth Center. He always had a habit of helping teen parents."

"Andros was determined to be a father when he and Ashley first learned about her pregnancy. After they learned they were having twins, his determination went up even more," Cassie muttered, wiping a tear from her eye. "There is no one I admire more."

"Me too," TJ said.

"Me three," Carlos chimed proudly.

"Me four," Kendrix said, laughing to herself.

Cassie eyed TJ while touching his shoulder. "If we make it to the point we become sexually intimate, I will use birth control."

"I will use a condom," TJ said, looking at her. "If we end up conceiving a child while we are still very young, then I will work my hardest to be a good father."

"I will work my hardest to be a good mother," Cassie added, giving him a wink.

TJ smiled. "Great."

TJ kissed Cassie's forehead. He gave it a gentle rub before patting it very lightly. They turned to the others. They started talking about what they would take with them for the spring break trip to Aaron's cabin.


	109. A World Away

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred nine of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I have just four more chapters to go before this fic is finished. This chapter has plenty of Leo/Kendrix. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred ten.

XXXXX

Chapter 109: A World Away

The rain had stopped by midafternoon. Kendrix stared at the ocean while standing on the beach. A gentle breeze went through the palm trees, and the leaves rustled quietly. Three bottlenose dolphins leapt through the surf. They went underwater and turned upside down. They performed backflips, landing on their stomachs with huge splashes. They repeated their action twice.

She blinked and smiled warmly. The sight of the dolphins reminded her of the ones that she saw at the Angel Grove Aquarium on a regular basis. She thought about how close those dolphins were to their trainers. She wondered if they could teach their wild counterparts to do the same behaviors as they did in the shows if they were released into the ocean.

Kendrix watched the dolphins head out to sea. She listened to their clicks, chatters, squeaks, and squeals. She heard approaching footsteps and saw Leo coming her way. She waved to him, getting a wave from him in return. He came to her side and slipped his hands into his pockets. He looked at her, giving her a sweet smile.

"Hey, Leo. What brings you out here?" she wondered.

"I didn't want to stay in the house since I didn't have much homework to do," he answered.

"Neither did I in mine," Kendrix said, looking toward the sky along with him. "I'm so glad it stopped raining."

"Me too," Leo said, putting his hand above his eyes. "The clouds are supposed to clear off tonight."

Leo and Kendrix spotted a gull flying at a distance. It bent its wings back as it dove into the water. It resurfaced with a fish in its beak. It headed for the beach. It landed on top of a large boulder to eat its catch. They started walking as he put his hand at his side.

"I can't help but think about all the stories our Ranger friends told us about their battles with evil, especially the ones that occurred during planned full-day visits to the aquarium," Kendrix whispered solemnly.

"I know. They wished they could've stayed at the aquarium for the entire day," Leo said, giving a shrug.

"The monsters always showed when people were having fun," Kendrix mumbled, sighing in frustration.

He bit his lip. "It was unfortunate the employees had to leave the animals behind during every attack, but at least they were never harmed." A relieved sigh left his mouth.

"On many occasions, the animals helped the Rangers fight their enemies. I honestly believed they enjoyed it," Kendrix commented.

"I remember seeing footage on the news when Riley slid across the stage and knocked three Tengas down with her tail at the dolphin stadium in September 1995. She also grabbed Rito and pulled him into the water. Brutus leapt up and knocked Goldar on his ass on the slideout. A guy accidentally left his camcorder behind and filled the entire fight," Leo replied.

"I saw that footage too. I wish I could've seen all that in person. That would've put a smile on my face," Kendrix whispered.

"As would it on mine," Leo said with great warmth.

She giggled. "Great."

He slipped an arm around her to give her a hug. They stopped walking and picked up rocks. They threw them as hard as they could. The rocks landed in the surf.

"I remember when I used to throw rocks in the lake," Leo commented, sighing warmly.

"I do too. When I was with Uncle Carl, that is. My parents never let me throw rocks in the lake, but they let Erica," Kendrix said, clearing her throat. "It was fun seeing the rocks I threw in the lake land somewhere."

"Mike said I was great at skipping rocks," Leo replied, his voice filled with warmth. "They'd jump across the surface twelve times before going underwater."

"Neat," Kendrix said, a laugh coming out of her mouth. "Uncle Carl said I was great at skipping rocks too. They'd skip across the surface fourteen times before going underwater. Everyone knows you have to throw the rocks at a certain angle for them to skip across a body of water. You can never be sure how many times it will happen."

"One thing is clear," Leo whispered, smiling. "We are both little skippers."

Leo took a strand of Kendrix's hair and tickled her cheek with it. She swatted his hand aside. She tried to reach for him, but he moved back. Her smirked at her.

"You're too slow," he teased.

"I'd better find a genie and wish for him to make me faster!" she said grumpily.

Leo laughed. "I don't know if that'd work. I'm too fast for you!"

Kendrix growled playfully. "Why, you!"

Kendrix pulled Leo into a headlock and wrestled him to his knees. She gave him a noogie. He broke free of her grasp and stood up after she did. He rubbed his neck while shaking his head.

"Jeez. Your grip is getting strong!" Leo exclaimed with a light groan.

"That's what happens when you teach someone how to pull others into headlocks on a regular basis," Kendrix answered with pride.

"I have to agree," Leo commented, scratching his elbow. "Then again, my grip is stronger than yours."

"Sure, it is," Kendrix retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

He patted her back before playing with another strand of hair. They looked toward the ocean, seeing a brown pelican fly just above it.

"I recall Billy telling us that the battle with Globbor was one of the toughest he, Tommy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha had ever been in. He mentioned that Kat said she was scared throughout the whole thing, but being a Power Ranger gave her confidence," she whispered gently.

"Tommy said watching the Thunderzords fall to pieces was the hardest thing he ever went through. He mentioned Kim, Billy, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha felt the same way," he mumbled, his body becoming tense.

Kendrix showed some sadness. "I don't blame them. The Rangers became so attached to their zords that it devastated them when they were damaged or destroyed."

"It was like a piece of them was gone," Leo added.

"Exactly," Kendrix responded while nodding slowly.

Leo pressed his lips together. "Though it was hard for the Rangers to deal with the loss of zords sometimes, I'm glad they continued to defend the universe. They knew it needed them."

Kendrix nodded in agreement. She and Leo resumed walking, only to come to a halt when a gull flew out in front of them. It headed for a medium-sized boulder. It landed on top of it, squawking softly. They turned to each other.

"It's not every day a gull flies out in front of you," Kendrix said.

"Or a kangaroo jumps out in front of you," Leo responded, chuckling softly. "During a trip to Australia for Christmas three years ago, two dozen kangaroos hopped past my family's jeep."

"From what I've heard, kangaroos are the most common animals in Australia," Kendrix said.

"I heard about that too. In fact, kangaroos are so numerous in some areas that the locals are permitted to hunt them for food," Leo pointed out.

"I'm sure it's quite tricky with all the hopping they do," Kendrix said, hopping into the air and landing gracefully.

"The hunters have their ways," Leo said confidently.

She gave a shrug. They saw two blue jays fly overhead and listened to their chirping. The jays flew up, down, and sideways before leaving. He resumed walking, as did she.

"What kind of kangaroos did you see, Leo?" Kendrix asked curiously and crossed her arms.

"I saw mostly red and gray kangaroos. Several wallabies caught my eye. They're some of the cutest marsupials," Leo said with much warmth.

She giggled. "They _are_ cute. Their little faces make me want to hug them."

He exhaled. "They make me want to hug them too, but we can't because they're wild animals."

"That's true," Kendrix agreed, letting a long exhale. "I watched a video of a guy who got really close to a buffalo to take a picture of it once. The buffalo became agitated and charged at him. It threw him into the air. He landed very hard on his back and broke his pelvis." She winced quietly.

"I saw that too. I can't believe he was crazy enough to do that," Leo muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Many people think animals are cuddly and try to pet them in their natural habitats like the caregivers do at zoos and wildlife parks. They're surprised when the animals attack them," Kendrix whispered and grimaced badly.

Leo expressed determination. "You'll never see me do that. I respect animals enough to give them their space."

"So do I," Kendrix said proudly. "Then again, some animals don't have any fear of humans because they've rarely seen them. They can get really close to them."

"That's cool, but they still need to be respected," Leo commented truthfully.

Kendrix uncrossed her arms. "Oh, yes."

He put his arm around her, giving her a hug. He kissed her temple with much gentleness. He felt her take his hand into hers and squeeze it gently. He heard her sigh happily.

"I'm looking forward to our spring break getaway to Aaron's cabin with our friends," Kendrix said very eagerly.

"So am I," Leo commented with just as much eagerness. He came to a stop along with her. They faced each other. "Mike and Maya may be with us for only the weekend, but they are looking forward to it too."

"The best thing about this trip is we don't have to deal with anyone who constantly gives us grief for five full days," Kendrix replied, squealing gleefully.

"Nor do we have to worry about traffic, going to school, doing homework, or any other crap," Leo added proudly.

"Just don't throw me into a mud puddle," Kendrix quipped and snickered under her breath.

"I will if I want to," Leo retorted playfully and flicked her nose. "Besides, you'd look cute in a mud mask."

She smacked him on the shoulder. She yelped when she got a smack to the back of her head from him in retaliation. He pointed his finger in her face and moved it in all directions. She imitated his motions with her head, pretending to get dizzy. They grew still, smiling at each other.

"Billy said the battle with Turbanshell was the one where he, Jason, Zack, Trini, Tommy, and Kim felt the most scared. That monster did such a number on the Thunderzords and Dragonzord that none of them thought they would make it at all," she whispered fearfully.

"Turbanshell's power was way off the charts. He seemed to have an endless supply of it," he explained.

"That is crazy," Kendrix exclaimed. "However, the team learned he had a huge weakness. He couldn't stand heat from the inside and cold on the outside. Tommy hid in a melon cart and allowed Turbanshell to consume him. He shot his entire stomach with firepower from a laser rifle. Zack froze him with ice-cold water from a hose. That immobilized him. The Thunder Megazord destroyed him with the Thunder Saber."

"Those Rangers showed great teamwork," Leo said, laughing to himself.

"They sure did," Kendrix agreed. "For all seventeen Power Rangers, being superheroes was never about having powers. It was about doing the right thing."

"So true. Being superheroes wasn't fun and games for them. It was very hard work. Still, someone had to step up to protect the universe from evil," Leo murmured.

Kendrix felt her body tense up. "If Erica had been a Power Ranger, she would've used her powers for personal gain. She would've revealed her identity to the world and basked in the rewards the populace bestowed upon her, especially our parents. They would've been fine with her delaying saving lives just to get her picture taken." She shuddered in disgust.

Leo scoffed frustratingly. "What sick people. If I were a Ranger, I would never have revealed my identity unless it was an emergency like in the case of TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Ashley, and Zhane."

"The same goes for me," Kendrix declared and clenched her teeth. "I know Erica would've been stripped of her Ranger powers due to her misdeeds. It's likely she and our parents would've blamed me for it."

"A person who refuses to take responsibility for their actions never makes it far in life," Leo hissed bluntly.

She nodded sharply. "That's right."

He took her hands into his. He rubbed the backs of them with his thumbs so lightly that it seemed he wasn't even doing that. He looked deep into her eyes.

"You're so beautiful that you take my breath away," Leo whispered in great awe.

"I'm glad you think that," Kendrix answered with a soft sniffle. "Thank you for always being there for me."

Leo took one hand out of Kendrix's to touch her cheek. He stroked it with his thumb. He leaned toward her, kissing her on the lips. She slipped her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. She felt him encircle her waist his. Her tongue slid into his mouth, touching his. They moaned softly. Their heartbeats quickened. They broke apart, gasping for air. They smiled at each other.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now," he commented.

She squeaked. "Me too."

Leo and Kendrix kissed once more. They broke apart after thirty-five seconds. She laid her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back slowly yet surely.

"How about I walk you home?" Leo suggested.

"Okay," Kendrix answered as she pulled back to look at him. They smiled as they walked toward the sidewalk with their arms around each other. They started going down it once they reached it.


	110. Seduction at Midnight

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred ten of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I have three chapters to go before this fic reaches its end. This chapter has Andros/Ashley. There is sexual content. As before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read it at your own risk. I wanted to do more Andros/Ashley smut scene before I brought this fic to an end. On top of that, it's been a while since I featured one. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred eleven.

XXXXX

Chapter 110: Seduction at Midnight

Clouds covered half the midnight sky above the Hammond residence. The moon came out from behind a large one. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind. A great-horned owl sat on a branch near the top of a tree in the front yard. It emitted a series of hoots. Another branch hit it in the back. It hooted annoyingly and spread its wings to take flight.

The owl flew around back and landed on the edge of a branch near the top of a tree next to Andros and Ashley's window. It looked inside to see them sleeping soundly on the bed. He lay on his side. She was on her back. He had his arm around her. She twitched her nose and yawned widely. She smacked her lips before pushing her face deeper into the pillow.

Andros stirred in his sleep before opening his eyes. He found blurry vision. He blinked three times, clearing it. He took his off head the pillow to take a better look at his girlfriend. He smiled, thinking she looked so beautiful. He loved sleeping with her this way. He remembered when they started sharing each other's beds on the Megaship. He wished they could still do that. Then again, he was fine with sleeping in hers.

He let out a lustful growl. He wanted her so badly right now. He moved over her and slipped in between her legs carefully. He slid his hands up and down her legs slowly. She stirred, but she didn't wake up. He became a little annoyed. He slipped his hands underneath her pink nightshirt. He touched her breasts and began to fondle them. She stirred quite a bit.

"Don't stop, Andros," she whispered, her heartrate starting to quicken. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "That feels so good."

"I'm glad it does," he answered and increased the pressure. He smiled at her groaning in excitement. "I'm not going to stop there at all."

He pressed a hard kiss to her lips. He turned it passionate very quickly. He pushed his tongue into her mouth to trace every inch of it. She emitted a pleasurable groan. She slid her hands into his hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. In fact, her grip became so tight that she appeared ready to rip it out. His heart rate sped up to match hers. Electricity went up and down their spines before rushing through their bodies.

Andros took his hands away from Ashley's breasts to grab at her hair. He kissed down to her neck. He licked at it before giving it a gentle blow. She leaned her head back, an ecstatic sigh leaving her mouth. He kissed her possessively and slid his tongue into her mouth in which it touched hers. He smiled against her lips when she moaned quietly.

He touched her nightshirt and ripped it open. This sent the buttons flying everywhere. He removed it to toss it to the floor. He broke the kiss, swallowing hard. He took off his blue t-shirt and threw it beside her nightshirt. They kissed passionately, their hands wandering and groping everywhere. He kissed to her jawline to trace it with his tongue. He went to her ear, nibbling on it. She was unable to keep a whimper from leaving her mouth.

The lovebirds engaged in long, hard kissing. He slid his hands over her breasts three times. He fondled them slowly but surely. He squeezed them hard, and she screamed ecstatically. He gave her neck a long lick before kissing it hungrily. She kissed his shoulder while he nibbled on it. Her hands traced his arms, back, chest, and stomach.

"Oh, that feels great," she whispered. She whimpered when her boyfriend gave her neck a hard blow. "Oh, shit! Oh, god! Oh!"

"That's it, Ashley," he growled in much intensity. "Let it all out."

Andros and Ashley engaged in another passionate kiss. She kissed to his neck. She alternated between licking at and sucking on it. She gave it a gentle blow, and he moaned excitedly. He winced painfully at her biting down on him. The pain faded quickly, and he let out a relieved sigh. She traveled to his ear. She traced her tongue along it. She nibbled on his earlobe gently. She increased the pressure. She smiled when an intense growl came from him. They hugged each other, not wanting to let go. They felt the familiar fire building within them.

He licked at her neck before sucking on it. He slid his hands up and down her body so slowly that it seemed he wasn't even moving them. He pulled away from her. He stared at her intensely. He ripped off her night shorts, followed by her pink underwear. He tossed them to the floor. He touched her shoulders. He moved his hands down her body, the skin breaking out in goosebumps.

He moved back and leaned down. He rubbed his face against her entrance. He licked at it before plunging his tongue inside her. He fondled her wet folds slowly at first, but he upped his pace. He used his tongue to tease her clit. She moaned excitedly, moving her hips with his motions. He bit her clit hard. She shuddered as she came. She was so lost in it that she couldn't breathe.

Ashley's high ebbed away, and a sated feeling rushed through her body. Andros came to her eye level and kissed her roughly. She pushed her tongue past his lips and into his mouth. She wanted to taste as much of her sweetness as she could. It engaged with his in a duel for control. He kissed down to her neck. He sucked on it, making her groan softly. He pulled away to look at her.

She saw the large bulge in his green shorts. She knew he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. She pushed them and his gray underwear down in a slow manner. He smiled as he could tell she was teasing him. He helped her get them off. His cock sprung forward, and her breathing turned to pants. She looked at him, a small shudder leaving her mouth.

Andros aligned his cock at Ashley's entrance as he pressed his forehead against hers. He began to enter her, but he pulled back out. She giggled, knowing he was teasing her. He slid inside of her until he was sheathed to the hilt. He began thrusting in and out of her immediately. She wrapped her arms around him in a very tight manner. Her head rolled back into the pillow, and she emitted a pleasurable sigh.

The lovebirds engaged in hard kissing. Their tongues dueled for control, and groans left their mouths. He broke away from her and trailed kisses from her jawline to her neck. He nibbled on the latter, followed by blowing on it. She whimpered as he alternated between kissing and sucking on it. Their grunting and groaning mingled together.

"Oh, yes," Ashley whispered, her voice showing much huskiness. She hissed quietly as he bit down on her neck. She got a little louder when he blew on it. "Oh, don't stop, Andros."

"I won't, Ash," Andros growled in much fierceness. "You can count on that."

Andros captured Ashley's lips in a possessive kiss. He upped the intensity and speed of his thrusting. His body became tighter with each passing second. He pushed his tongue into her mouth. He traced every inch of it. She let out a soft yet excited moan. He kissed down to her pulse point. He moved between nibbling on and licking it at it. She grabbed at his shoulders as if trying to keep herself from going over the edge.

He kissed her lips again, plunging his tongue into her mouth. He smiled when he heard her moan quietly. He moved his hands up and down her body so slowly that it seemed he wasn't even doing that. He smothered her neck with hungry kisses. She kissed his shoulder before nibbling on it. She proceeded to lick at it. He growled intensely as he grabbed at her hair. The fire within him was building to such a strong point that he thought he'd lose it any second. He had little doubt it was doing the same in her.

He pulled away to stare deep into her eyes. Loud hisses escaped his mouth. He grabbed her wrists to pin them above her head. He thrusted harder and faster into her. The fire in both of them was reaching its peak. He tightened his grip on her. She let out a loud whimper. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I feel it coming," she cried

"I do too, Ash," he said, clenching his teeth. "I do too."

Andros kissed Ashley with much passion, his thrusts growing harder and faster. He gripped her wrists even more tightly. Their climax was almost at its peak. He broke the kiss to press his forehead against hers once more. She whimpered softly. She pressed a kiss to his lips, and he coaxed hers to open with his tongue. It touched hers, and he smiled against her lips when a moan came from her.

After what seemed like an eternity, he released himself into her. She echoed her release to him with no time in between. They broke the kiss to stare into each other's eyes. Their panting mingled together. Their bodies trembled quite a bit. He loosened his grip on her as well. She reached up to touch his forehead. She ran her hand over it. They swallowed hard, their trembles ceasing.

"Talk about unbelievable," Andros whispered in a loving voice.

Ashley smiled. "Oh, yeah."

Andros kissed Ashley tenderly. He rolled over until she was on top of him. He positioned to where he remained inside her. She laid her head on his chest. She sighed contently at the sound of his heartbeat.

"Not once did I think you'd wake me up at midnight to engage in lovemaking. I'm glad you did," she whispered truthfully.

"You better prepare yourself. I plan to wake you up at midnight to make love with you many times. The same goes for in the middle of the night," he said mischievously.

Ashley took her head off his chest and looked at him. "I'll do both to you as well."

Andros pointed a finger in her face. "I believe I will do it more than you will."

"I don't think so," Ashley said while shaking her head rapidly.

"I do think so," Andros said, nodding just as fast.

Ashley slapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. She smiled lovingly and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. She giggled, and he showed confusion.

"What's so funny?" he wondered.

"I'm glad we don't have to get up early in the morning to go to school. We can sleep in as late as we want," she explained.

"We do have the teen parent support group to attend tomorrow," Andros said, sitting up. "I'm ready to get it over with." He reached up and touched her cheek.

"I am too. At least Shelly will be there," Ashley said in relief. She felt him put his arm around her. He pulled her with him as he laid back down. She looked him in the eye. "Who would've thought we'd get to know a teen mom in our world history class?" She smiled.

"It's wonderful that we have someone we can relate and who has experience in attending teen parent support groups," Andros whispered warmly. "It'll be nice to meet Shelly's toddler daughter."

"I wonder who she looks like," Ashley said, curiosity filling her eyes.

"I don't know. We'll find out when we see Nellie," Andros pointed out softly.

She snorted. "Shelly could've fallen into a depression after Dougie died and neglected Nellie, but she didn't. She moved forward and continues to do so."

He suppressed a yawn. "It's not easy to deal with the loss of a loved one, especially when it is a significant other."

She nodded in agreement. She moved her hand to his side and traced circles into it. She bit her lip before inhaling deeply.

"I'm sure you always wondered what might have been had Karone never been kidnapped by Darkonda," Ashley said.

"I do all the time. She would've grown up alongside Zhane and me. She would've become a Power Ranger just like us. It is possible you and your friends would've come into our lives," Andros explained.

"Karone didn't deserve to have her childhood taken from her. It's not fair that it happened," Ashley whispered sadly.

"It's not, but what's done is done. We can't turn back the clock. The bright side is Karone's making a life for herself. She is attending Angel Grove High and is doing very well in her classes, though she never received a full education. She is preparing to become a tiger trainer at the Angel Grove Zoo, so she can teach the public about tigers. She is looking forward to being an aunt to our twins," Andros said, a smile crossing his lips. "I couldn't be prouder of her."

"Neither can I," Ashley agreed. "Let's not forget that you and Zhane are doing very well in your classes, though you never received a full education."

"That we are," Andros said, touching her hair. "We are well on track for graduation." He showed excitement. "It's just a little over four months away."

"I will likely have a big belly by then, but it doesn't matter. I am determined to walk up there and get my diploma," Ashley said with much pride.

"Don't get too prideful. It will bite you on the ass," Andros warned very playfully.

"Oh, hush!" Ashley retorted playfully and smacked him on the chest.

"No, you hush!" Andros said, shaking a finger at her. He put his hand down. "By the way, Zhane is preparing to become a teacher by going to college to get a teaching degree. As for me, I am preparing to find a good-paying full-time job, so I can provide for our babies."

"So am I once I recover from giving birth," Ashley said, sighing happily. "I can't wait to have the twins."

"I can't wait for them to be here," Andros commented, his smile growing wider.

The lovebirds shared three tender kisses. Ashley laid her head on her boyfriend's chest. She brought her hand up to his shoulder to trace circles into it.

"It won't be long before my stomach will be too big for us to make love the regular way," she murmured regretfully.

"I know, but I'm okay with that," he said comfortingly. "There are plenty of positions for us to do it in. We've already done it from behind, and that was during our Christmas stay at your aunt's cabin."

"That was fun," Ashley said, sighing warmly as she remembered Andros making love to her in that position. She thought it was very interesting and felt great. "Some people think a woman can't get pregnant if a man has sex with her from behind or if she is on top. That's not true. She can get pregnant in any position as long as his penis is in her vagina."

"The pullout method doesn't work because of pre-cum. If it contains sperm, a woman can get pregnant," Andros added.

Ashley snorted. "You won't believe this, but a guy asked me if saran wrap could be used as a condom."

"No way," Andros said in surprise.

"I'm not kidding," Ashley answered truthfully. "I told him it was a bad idea because the plastic wrap would cut off blood flow to the penis and would result in a heart attack."

"I can't believe some guys would do something that stupid," Andros muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Stupidity has been part of humanity since the dawn of its history," Ashley said, giving a shrug.

Andros scoffed. "Unfortunately. At least no one in our circle has such stupidity."

Ashley sighed to herself. She started kissing her boyfriend's chest. She made her way to his neck to lick at it. He was unable to keep a moan from leaving his mouth.

"Let's forget about stupidity," Ashley whispered seductively and kissed to his lips. "Let's focus on us."

"Yes," Andros agreed with a loud growl. "Let's."

Andros kissed Ashley with great passion. She began moving up and down on him. He moved his hands to her neck. He coaxed her lips to open with his tongue in which it touched hers lightly. She emitted an ecstatic moan. Their hearts pounded so hard that it seemed they'd leap out of their chests and land on the floor any second. Electricity went up and down their spines before speeding through their bodies.

He slipped his hands into her hair. He sat up, keeping a tight grip on it. He kissed his way to her neck. He licked at it before sucking on it. She leaned her head back, sighing with much pleasure. He delivered a hard bite to it, which made her wince in pain. She sighed in relief at it fading away. She felt him move one hand to the small of her back. She upped the speed and intensity of her movements. He smothered her neck with hungry kisses.

"Oh, Andros, don't stop," Ashley groaned quietly.

Andros nibbled on her neck. "I won't, Ashley. I won't."

He slid his hands up and down her body. He alternated between nibbling and sucking on her neck. She moaned pleasurably. She kissed his shoulder before nuzzling her face against his throat. He pulled away from her neck, and she grabbed his cheeks. She pressed a fierce kiss to his lips. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, causing him to groan excitedly. They got lost in the pleasures of lovemaking again.


	111. Unable to Resist and Finally Leaving

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred eleven of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just a week to get out. I have two chapters to go before this fic reaches its end. This chapter has Andros/Ashley. There is sexual content. As before, don't read it if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Otherwise, you may read it at your own risk. This is actually the last of the Andros/Ashley smut. The teen parent support group will be introduced in the next chapter. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred twelve.

XXXXX

Chapter 111: Unable to Resist/Finally Leaving

Clouds covered half the noon sky above the Hammond residence the next day. The sun came out from behind a large one. Andros was brushing his hair in the upstairs bathroom. He finished that and laid the brush on the counter. He straightened the hem of his blue t-shirt before adjusting the waistband on his dark blue jeans. He looked quite satisfied.

Andros slipped locks of hair behind his ears. He was glad that Jesse and Isis Peterwood invited Ashton and Anna to spend the day with them at their house. He knew Ashley's parents needed all the time they could get with their friends because they would be busy helping with the twins. He saw Ashley coming up beside him in the mirror. She fastened a gold unicorn earring in her right ear. The other one was already in her left ear.

"My, my. Don't you look handsome?" she said, laughing warmly.

"Thanks. Don't you look pretty?" he said as he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Thanks. I think we'd look great wearing burlap sacks," Ashley joked and gave his chest a gentle pat.

"Hey, I am not wearing a burlap sack," Andros warned and pointed his finger in her face.

"I'm warning you. Stop pointing that finger in my face, or I'll—" Ashley started.

"You'll do what, bite it off and eat it?" Andros asked with a smirk.

"I just might," Ashley answered and giggled loudly.

"Do it. I dare you," Andros taunted.

"Nah. I'd rather eat McDonald's for lunch," Ashley said while shaking her head.

"What a big chicken you are," Andros groaned disappointingly.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Ashley teased and wiggled her eyebrows.

He pinched her nose and flicked it. He put his other arm around her and hugged her tightly. She brought her hands up to it. He kissed her temple twice. She sighed contently as he rocked her from side to side.

"Deciding to go out for lunch at McDonald's before going to the teen parent support group meeting is a great idea," Ashley whispered happily. "I can't wait to have a salad, fries, and water."

"I can't wait to have a cheeseburger, fries, and a diet coke," Andros said, smiling lightly. "By the way, you're a good girl for choosing to have a salad for lunch." He kissed her temple once more. "It's so good for you."

"We should have as many dates as we can because they will become rare after the twins are born," Ashley muttered, frowning.

"Unfortunately," Andros said, his smile fading. He sighed heavily. "We'll have to cherish every date we have."

"At least we have weekends. We'll be able to spend all of our time with the babies," Ashley pointed out.

"Yeah," Andros agreed. "Who came up with the idea for weekends, anyway?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care in the least bit. I'm just glad they exist."

He chuckled. "Me too."

Andros stopped rocking Ashley. They let go of each other before placing their hands on the counter. Suddenly, an idea clicked in his mind. He turned to her, a smile crossing his lips.

"Hey, what do you say we take the twins on their first trip to the park when they are a month old?" he suggested.

"What a great idea, Andros. The four of us will need all the time alone we can get because we won't get it very often," she whispered regretfully and bit her lip.

"I know, but look on the bright side. We can hold one baby each," Andros pointed out comfortingly.

"So true. Just don't blame me if the baby you're holding spits up on you," Ashley warned with a smirk.

He scoffed. "If that happens, then you can't blame me for the other baby spitting up on you."

"Imagine the smell of sour milk on you," Ashley said and grabbed his chin. She moved his head from side to side. She laughed at his swatting her hand aside.

"You're incorrigible," Andros teased.

She snickered. "So are you."

Andros planted a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead. He moved behind her and pulled her hair aside. He kissed her neck before nibbling on it. She let out a soft groan.

"Andros, we should head to the car," Ashley said, swallowing hard. "Lunchtime will be over before we know it."

Ashley went stiff when she felt her boyfriend's move his hands up to her breasts. He rubbed and squeezed them through her pink t-shirt. She was unable to keep a moan from leaving her mouth. Excitement started to course through her body, her breathing turning to shudders. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Andros—" she groaned.

"You're so hot," he growled with sexual intensity. He sucked on her neck before blowing on it. "Do you know how horny I am right now? Do you want me to show you?"

Andros thrusted his hips into Ashley, causing her to moan ecstatically. He took that as his cue and spun her around. He locked his lips with hers. Their tongues touched, and they were unable to keep groans from leaving their mouths. He broke the kiss. He grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and moved it upward. She opened her eyes and raised her arms, allowing him to remove it. He tossed it to the floor.

He took his t-shirt off before wrapping his arms around her. They resumed kissing as she slipped hers around his neck. Electricity coursed through their bodies. Their heartrates sped up. He moved her away from the sink. He lifted her to sit on the counter. This put at just at the right height for him to move in between her legs.

He broke away from her lips to kiss down to her neck. She moaned excitedly, her arms tightening around his neck. He moved his hands between them. He undid the button and zipper on her light blue jeans. He pulled them and her gray underwear down. He unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. He pushed them, his blue boxer shorts, and his red underwear down. She cupped his face in her hands, her breathing coming out in fast pants.

"Make love to me right now, Andros," Ashley pleaded, her body trembling uncontrollably. "Please."

Andros held himself in hand, as he moved toward Ashley's entrance. They moaned simultaneously at the first contact. He slipped inside her until he was sheathed to the hilt. He moved his hands to her butt and began moving in and out of her. He squeezed it hard as he brought her to meet him at every thrust.

"Oh, shit," Andros hissed with seduction and incredible intensity. "You feel so good, Ashley."

Andros buried his face in Ashley's neck. He alternated between kissing and sucking on it while her hands moved from his back to his butt. She moaned loudly as his thrusts became harder and faster. They could feel the fire burning within their veins as their climax approached. Her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his body.

"Andros, I'm going to—" Ashley cried excitedly.

He lifted her head and kissed her hard. Their tongues dueled for control as groans left their mouths.

"Come for me, Ashley," Andros growled with such intensity that he looked as if he were about to lose it. "Come now!"

Ashley moaned. She threw her head back as her climax took her. Andros's pace quickened, and he thrusted harder into her. After three more strokes, he released himself into her. They held each other close while they panted. Their heartbeats returned to normal.

"Oh, that was amazing," Ashley whispered breathlessly.

Andros laughed while pushing her hair out of her face. "No denying that."

He kissed her softly twice and pressed his forehead against hers. They took slow yet even breaths.

"I love you," Andros said lovingly.

"I love you too," Ashley replied warmly.

The lovebirds kissed three more times. They pulled back to look into each other's eyes. She brought her hand up to caress his cheek. She swallowed hard before biting her lip.

"What do you say we go get our jackets?" she suggested.

"Okay," he answered with a nod. "Let's get dressed first."

Andros pulled himself out of Ashley before helping her off the counter. They pulled up their bottoms. They zipped and buttoned their jeans. They grabbed their t-shirts to put them on. He opened the door and allowed her to go first. He turned off the light. They headed for their room.

00000

Ashley moaned loudly as Andros moved inside her on their bed in their room ten minutes later. She laid in front of the pillows on her back while he hovered over her. Their t-shirts were off, and their bottoms were down to their ankles. He leaned down and kissed her possessively. His tongue entered her mouth, and she couldn't stop a groan from leaving it.

Ashley leaned her head to the side as Andros kissed down to her neck. She slid her hands up and down his back. The skin broke out in goosebumps. She sighed in ecstasy when he sucked on her neck. She got louder when he blew on it. He moved up to her ear to nibble on it. He was gentle at first, but he increased the pressure. She sighed pleasurably.

He pressed a fierce kiss to her lips. He thrusted faster and harder into her. His body tightened with each passing second. He plunged his tongue into her mouth and traced every inch of it. She let out a heady moan. He trailed kisses to her pulse point. He licked at it before nibbling on it. She whimpered, grabbing at his shoulders very tightly. It was as if she was trying to keep herself from falling into the abyss.

He kissed her lips once more. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, making her moan quietly. He moved his hands up and down her body so slowly that it seemed he wasn't doing that at all. He proceeded to kiss her neck again. She kissed his shoulder. She gave it a gentle blow before nibbling on it. He growled intensely while grabbing at her hair. The fire within him was building to such a strong point that he believed he'd explode right there. There was no doubt in his mind it was doing the same in her.

He pulled away and stared into her eyes. He grabbed her wrists to pin them above her head. His thrusting became harder and faster. The fire in both of them was reaching its peak. His grip on her tightened somewhat. She whimpered so loudly that she sent an echo through the room and down the hallway. He leaned down and pressed her forehead against hers.

"I feel it coming," she whispered.

"I do too, Ash," he answered seductively. "I do too."

Andros kissed his girlfriend, his thrusts growing harder and faster. He tightened his grip on her wrists even more. Their climax was almost at its peak. He broke the kiss to press his forehead against hers once more. She emitted an ecstatic cry before capturing his lips in a kiss. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, smiling into it when she groaned.

He finally released himself into her. She echoed her release to him a second later. They broke the kiss to stare into each other's eyes. They panted heavily. Their bodies trembled so much that it seemed they couldn't stop. He loosened his grip on her. She reached up to touch his cheek. She stroked it very gently. They swallowed hard, their trembles ceasing.

"Wow," Ashley whispered lovingly.

"Yeah," Andros agreed. "Wow."

The lovebirds shared three tender kisses. He laid his head on her shoulder and emitted a content sigh. She ran her tongue over her teeth.

"Goodness. We'd definitely qualify in the sex category of the Olympics since we keep going like this," she said, letting out a breathless chuckle. "I wouldn't mind if we did, though."

"Me neither," he replied and snorted. "I just couldn't keep my hands off you as soon as we came into the room."

"My parents would've heard us if they were here, not that they would've minded," Ashley commented. "They would've teased us about going at it like rabbits when we went downstairs." She shrugged.

"We made love three times after I woke you up at midnight," Andros pointed out and took his head off her shoulder. He looked her in the eye. "You could say we went at it like rabbits then." He snickered.

"Oh, I agree. I didn't mind, though. The lovemaking was wonderful," Ashley said, happiness radiating from her face. "It always will be."

"Thanks for saying that," Andros said and smirked. "If you hadn't, I would've tickled you until you did."

She growled playfully and kissed his nose. He brought his hand to her cheek and stroked it with his thumb.

"It's going to be wonderful being parents to twins. It will be a challenge because we are young, but I live for challenges," Andros said with pride.

"We were challenged a lot in battle when we were Power Rangers," Ashley admitted. "Sometimes, I wonder if we would beat the challenges we faced."

He sighed. "I did too. The bright side is we did beat them."

"We sure did," Ashley said, smiling. "The best part of that was you were by my side." She winked at him.

"Mm-hmm," Andros agreed. "Let's not forget you acted stupid in battle sometimes."

She flicked his nose. "So did you."

Andros pressed his forehead against Ashley's. They breathed in each other's scents before pressing their lips together.

"If there is one thing I am grateful for, it's being the father of your twins," Andros whispered lovingly.

"The same goes for me being the mother of your twins," Ashley answered, sniffling. "The night we lost our virginities to each other was the night we became parents. I wouldn't trade that for anything else in the universe."

Andros sighed with much happiness. "Nor would I. I will be the best father I can be."

Ashley felt a tear slide down her cheek. "I will be the best mother I can be."

Andros and Ashley kissed softly. Their kiss grew passionate quickly. Their tongues touched, and they groaned. He kissed her neck as he began moving inside her. His cock grew hard. She leaned her head back, a pleasurable moan escaping her lips. He captured them in a possessive kiss as he grabbed at her hair.

"Don't stop, Andros," she pleaded. "Please."

"Never, Ash," he growled intensely. "I will make this feel great for you."

Andros upped the speed and intensity of his thrusts. Ashley cried out so loudly that an echo went through the room and through the hallway. He smothered her neck with hungry kisses. She moved hands up and down his back. They became lost in another round of lovemaking.

00000

Andros and Ashley came downstairs thirty minutes later. They had decided to change into white t-shirts, white underwear, and black jeans after finishing their third lovemaking session. She decided on blue socks while he chose red. They cleaned themselves up and brushed their hair. They approached the front door. She unlocked it and opened it. He went outside, followed by her. She locked the door before closing it behind her.

The couple approached his car and got in. They buckled up and straightened their seatbelts. Ashley placed her purse on the floor. Andros started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. He began driving down the street. She looked at him while licking her lips.

"It's a good thing the McDonald's we're going to is five minutes from the teen center," Ashley whispered in relief. "We don't have to be in a huge hurry."

"So true," Andros agreed with a soft sigh. "That is if our lunch takes longer than it should." He gulped in a quiet manner. "I hope Ms. Madsen won't fuss at us if we are late."

"I don't think she will. You did say she sounded nice on the phone," Ashley pointed out.

"Yes, but let's not forget voices and looks can be deceiving," Andros replied in seriousness. "Evil can appear in the form of good."

"No one should forget that," Ashley commented honestly. "Then again, it'd be hard to believe that a teen center's director could have a dark side. Still, we should keep our eyes and ears open for anything strange."

He nodded in agreement and looked in his rearview mirror. He could see a van coming up on his bumper. The driver honked her horn three times.

"Hey, you've got another thing coming if you think I will go over the twenty-five-mile-per-hour speed limit on this road, lady," he yelled annoyingly.

"Why is she in such a hurry?" she wondered as she looked out the back window at the van.

"I don't know. I don't give a damn," Andros declared. He stopped at the intersection. He flipped his blinker bar up. The right blinker began to flash. He looked both ways. The driver honked her horn twice, causing him to tense. He shot her a glare in the rearview mirror. "Have some patience, bitch! I'm just looking both ways! Shit." He growled frustratingly.

"She really needs a talking to," Ashley said and looked ahead.

Andros emitted a sharp exhale. "She sure does, Ash. Unfortunately, it probably wouldn't do any good."

Ashley gave a shrug. "Oh, well."

Andros turned right, and the blink stopped its flashing. The driver drove ahead quickly. She gave him a dirty look. He gazed at the rearview mirror and growled softly.

"Get the hell out of here, bitch," Andros shouted in determination. "Jeez. The universe would be a much better place if more people were patient."

"Who cares if many people are impatient? We are patient. That's all that matters," Ashley replied, sitting tall and proud.

"That's right. While impatient people whine and complain about things not coming fast enough, we'll enjoy what we get because we were so patient," Andros commented, forming a big smile on his face.

"Like the babies being born," Ashley said with much warmth in her voice.

"Exactly," Andros said, nodding in a slow manner.

"Something tells me I might get a craving for something while we are at McDonald's," Ashley responded and touched her stomach.

"I'm fine with that," Andros said, chuckling to himself. They started talking about when food cravings could begin coming in the middle of the night.


	112. McDonald's Conversation and Teen Center

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred twelve of "Not Here." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. There is one more chapter before this fic is finally at its end. I can't believe I've gotten seven hundred reviews. I want to thank Tasha Hill for being the seven hundredth reviewer. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, TommyOliverMMPRFan, Ghostwriter, brankel1, and Ms. Catherine Willmon 2017 for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. As for other reviewers, don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear what you liked about this fic. If you like it enough, put it in your favorite and following lists. I have come up with a title for the sequel. It's called "Not Here II: The Journey Continues." Anyway, this chapter has some Andros/Ashley. It features the first appearance of the Angel Grove Teen Center and the Angel Grove Teen Parent Support Group. Stay tuned for chapter one hundred thirteen.

XXXXX

Chapter 112: McDonald's Conservation/Teen Center

McDonald's bristled with activity eighteen minutes later. Andros was waiting at the second of three cash registers for his and Ashley's food. Shouting caught his attention, and he turned to see a teen girl arguing with a cashier at the first register. He turned away while scratching his neck. He heard an impatient sigh and peered over his shoulder at an elderly woman.

"Why won't this line get moving? I'm hungry!" the woman complained.

"Would you please calm down, lady? You need to have patience. The workers are doing the best they can to speed up. They don't want to make a mess of things," Andros answered calmly yet firmly.

"You need to shut your mouth, young man!" the woman yelled angrily. "You are in no position to speak about patience when you have no morals or respect for authority. You love premarital sex. You are contributing to the out-of-control teen pregnancy rate. You hook up with so many people that it's not funny."

"I am respectful of authority. My girlfriend and I aren't sexually active right now, but we will use contraceptives to prevent pregnancy and STDs if we do become intimate," Andros commented.

"Contraceptives need to be banned. They are the reason why young people are having so much premarital sex," the woman said, pretending to spit at the floor. "The only true way to prevent pregnancy and STDs is preaching abstinence. If that were the norm, then this country's teen pregnancy rate wouldn't be so out of control. Sex is meant to be reserved for marriage." She huffed and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I don't want to listen to the sex-within-the-bounds-of-marriage talk," Andros retorted. "Preaching abstinence doesn't keep people from having sex. It encourages them to do it. This country's teen pregnancy rate is not out of control. In fact, it's been in decline since the 1960s. It's due to comprehensive sex education and availability of contraceptives."

"You're such a liar," the woman hissed and shook her finger at him. "You're destined to be a failure at life, young man. You will be stuck at a dead-end job forever."

"That's what you think," Andros retorted with much defiance. "You're just bitter that many young people are doing better than you ever did. If unicorns were real, they'd run away from you because they'd see you as corrupt. They are the symbol of purity and innocence."

The woman mouthed 'Fuck off' and looked away. Andros turned back to the counter with a heavy sigh. He wished old people would see him and other young people as ones with great potential. He could take comfort in the fact that no one could take away his time as a Power Ranger. He saw a cashier approach with a tray.

"Here's your food, sir," the cashier said and gave the tray to Andros. "I'm sorry it took so long." She showed guilt.

"It's fine, ma'am," Andros replied, his voice gentle yet firm. "You have so many customers waiting on you that you don't know when you'll get to them."

The cashier shrugged. "Yeah. Anyway, enjoy your meal."

Andros smiled. "Thanks."

Andros got straws and napkins at the end of the counter. He went to the ketchup dispenser behind the lines. He grabbed two small paper cups to squirt ketchup into them. He went to the middle of the restaurant, where Ashley sat at a table. He sat across from her, setting the tray on it. They took their food and drinks off it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to take so long," Andros apologized and opened his straw. He put it in his large diet coke.

"Don't worry about it, Andros," Ashley responded. She opened her straw to put it in her medium water. "I wasn't in any rush to eat."

Andros hissed frustratingly. "Unfortunately, some people were. Someone needs to give them patience for their birthdays and Christmas."

"Yes, but they will never learn," Ashley said, giving a shrug.

"Then we should let them screw themselves," Andros muttered fearfully. He hoped no one heard him say that. The last thing he wanted was for an angry customer to yell at him for dirty talk. "They aren't worth it."

Ashley nodded sharply. "That's right."

Andros and Ashley removed the wrappers from their hamburgers. She bit into hers. She chewed it up and swallowed. She nodded in approval. She sipped her water. She observed him taking a bite out of his sandwich and chewing it up.

"I swear, this place's hamburgers get better every time any of us in our group eat here," she said as they put their hamburgers down.

"Oh, yeah," he replied and swallowed. "The best burgers are the cheeseburgers. There is even a meal that gives you two of them."

"If I was really hungry, then I would've asked for that meal," Ashley said with a small chuckle.

"You should have because you look cute with cheese all over your mouth," Andros teased.

She blushed such a deep shade of red that she looked like a strawberry. She tried hiding her face behind her hands, but it was to no avail. He laughed and shook his head while crossing his arms.

"Ashley, you didn't have to blush!" Andros yelled

"Then don't say flattering things about me!" Ashley said as the redness faded from her face.

He became prideful. "Well, you deserve it. You're such a nice girl that I can't stand it."

She growled playfully before laying her hands on the table. "Oh, what a bad boy you are!"

He grabbed her hand to tickle the back of it. She emitted a soft yet excited giggle. He let go of it and sipped his coke. He watched her pick up her hamburger and bite into it. She chewed slowly but surely. He looked over her shoulder after she swallowed.

"Hey, is that Tom Hanks over there?" he asked.

"Where?" she replied and became excited as she laid her sandwich down. She looked over her shoulder. She was unaware that he reached for one of her fries. She showed disappointment when she didn't see the actor. She turned back to him as he took the fry and put it in his mouth. Her jaw dropped to the floor. "You little sneak! I can't believe you did that!"

"Gotcha!" Andros yelled, chewing and swallowing. "I thought you would've learned your lesson about falling for that by now."

"Then you need a bit of this!" Ashley hissed. She stood up and reached over, knocking him on top of his head. She gave him a noogie. He pushed her arm aside. He held up a fist as she sat back down.

"If you mess with my head again, you will be eating knuckle sandwiches for a week," Andros threatened in playfulness.

"Oh, I'm so scared," Ashley said sarcastically and pretended to shake in fear.

The lovebirds stuck their tongues out at each other. They pulled them back into their mouths. Laughing heartily, they put their hands on the table.

"It's nice to have lunch with you," Ashley whispered sweetly. "After that, it's off to the teen center for the group meeting."

"On KO-35, we believed sexuality was an important part of life. It didn't matter if the couple was married or not. Sex was fundamental for a healthy relationship," Andros said. "It's strange that Earthlings consider sexuality sinful."

Ashley sighed heavily. "It's been that way since ancient times. People who grew up in the old days claim there were no pregnant teens where they lived. Of course, there weren't. All of them were sent away to unwed teen mothers' homes."

"KO-35 has never had those homes. We believed teen parents had the right to raise their children," Andros said, sighing in relief. "Their parents almost always pitched in."

"I'm grateful I had parents who taught me that sexuality was a wonderful thing. They are willing to help me care for my babies," Ashley commented and laid a hand on her stomach.

Andros sniffled. "I'm grateful to them for letting me move into your house, so I can be close to you and the twins."

The teen grabbed more of their fries and popped them into their mouths. They chewed quickly before swallowing with loud gulps. They took long sips of their drinks and watched two people pass them.

"I pray with all my heart that the babies are born as close to the due date as possible," she whispered hopefully.

"Me too, Ash," he agreed. "Me too."

Andros took Ashley's hand and kissed the back of it. He rubbed it very lightly before releasing his hold on it. They proceeded to finish their lunch.

00000

Andros and Ashley were waiting to turn left at a red light thirty-three minutes later. The left blinker was flashing. They watched cars go past them in both directions. Ashley had a small vanilla milkshake in her hand. She sipped a little bit of it. He looked at her, smiling warmly.

"Enjoying the milkshake, dear?" he asked curiously.

"You bet I am," she said happily and took another sip. She smacked her lips before licking them. "I'm glad I started getting a craving just before we left. Otherwise, we would've had to turn around and go back." She chuckled with nervousness.

"The bright side is it didn't take me anywhere near as long to get the milkshake as it did to get our lunch," Andros pointed out.

"Nope," Ashley agreed, shaking her head. "There wasn't an impatient person behind you either."

Suddenly, a loud honk startled the couple. They looked toward a car in the lane next to them. The driver spoke inaudible words. He hit his hand on the dashboard in frustration.

"Damn. That's the second impatient driver we've encountered today," Ashley griped angrily.

"Unfortunately," Andros muttered. They shifted their attention back to the road. "If people would just leave earlier, then they wouldn't be in such a hurry." He blew a raspberry.

Ashley sipped more of her milkshake. "This reminds me of that time we nearly got hit by that truck when you were taking me home from a lunch date at McDonald's six months ago."

Andros grimaced. "I remember that day very well. The truck came really close to us. You were so scared that you thought you'd pee your pants."

"It would've been embarrassing, but I wouldn't have been able to help it," Ashley commented. "You gripped the steering wheel so tight that you looked like you were about to pull it off."

"Who could blame me? I was so angry at what that fucking jerk did," Andros hissed fiercely.

"If real life were like a cartoon, you could've pulled it off," Ashley pointed out and giggled softly.

Andros shrugged while patting the steering wheel twice. He and Ashley saw the light become green. The arrow showed as well. He turned left as the car beside them went straight. They heard screeching tires. He sighed in much annoyance.

"At least we don't have to worry about that car riding the bumper of this one," Andros whispered with much relief.

"Yeah," Ashley agreed.

Andros spotted a large white sign saying 'Angel Grove Teen Center' in large black letters coming into view on his left. He pushed the blinker bar down. The left blinker began flashing as he stopped. Ten cars passed before he was clear. He turned left into the somewhat empty parking lot. He parked in a space close to the entrance before turning off the engine.

The couple stared at the large building that had stairs in front of the entrance. Around back was a large yard with chairs, a picnic table, and children's toys such as a plastic house, a slide, and a tricycle. A chain-link fence surrounded it. Ashley managed to finish off her milkshake. She and Andros looked at each other, licking their lips. She suppressed a yawn.

"Your craving satisfied?" Andros asked.

Ashley nodded and cleared her throat. "Yep. Thanks for buying the milkshake for me."

Andros winked at her. "No problem."

"What are we sitting around for?" Ashley asked and grabbed her purse from the floor. "Let's get this meeting over with."

Andros and Ashley undid their seatbelts and exited the car. They were about to go toward the entrance when they heard an approaching vehicle. They turned to see Shelly parking her green van two spaces away from them. The van happened to be a Chevy and appeared to be new, except for a tiny scratch in the driver's door underneath the handle.

Shelly looked at two-year-old Nellie, who was buckled into a car seat behind her, in the rearview mirror. Nellie sucked on a pacifier. She resembled her mother, but she had Dougie's dark skin and blue eyes. Her hair was in pigtails. Shelly switched off the engine and unbuckled her seatbelt. She grabbed her purse from the passenger's seat. She got out as Andros and Ashley approached her.

"Hey, Shelly," Andros greeted warmly.

"Hey, Andros, Ashley," Shelly said, looking at her friends. She went to the back seat. She got Nellie out of her car seat and grabbed her baby bag. Nellie turned to Andros and Ashley. "This is little Nellie."

"Oh, she's beautiful," Ashley commented with a smile.

"She looks a lot like you," Andros added.

"That's what a lot of people say, but she has a lot of Dougie in her too," Shelly answered, kissing her daughter's cheek. "Nellie, these are my friends, Andros and Ashley. Say hi to them."

"Hi," Nellie whispered and waved. Her pacifier fell out of her mouth, but her mother caught it. She turned away when Shelly tried to put it back in.

"What do you say we get this show on the road?" Shelly suggested and patted Nellie's back.

"Yeah," Andros and Ashley answered.

The trio made their way toward the entrance. Ashley put her cup in the trashcan as they passed it. Nellie looked around, curiosity filling her eyes.

00000

Forty-year-old Cheyanne laughed as she talked with seven teen parents sitting in chairs in a room. She sat in an armchair. Three empty chairs were on her right. The room was medium-sized with white walls that had pictures of young parents with their children hanging on them in various places. Tan carpet covered the floor. A playpen was off in the corner. The first three parents had two infants. One was a single father, and the other two were a couple. The last four were expecting. The first two were single mothers. The last two parents were a couple.

Cheyanne pressed her lips together. Being Native American, she was tall for a woman. Her frame was lean, but she had a bit of muscle. Her skin was somewhat tan. Her long, straight black hair was braided down her back. Her eyes were dark brown. She had no wrinkles on her face whatsoever. The sound of the front door opening caught her attention. She stood up and went to the doorway. She went down stairs that led into a large auditorium. She saw Andros, Ashley, and Shelly coming her way.

"Ms. Madsen?" Andros asked.

"Yes, that's me. You are—" Cheyanne asked as she came to a stop. The group stopped before her.

"I'm Andros Parker. We spoke on the phone two weeks ago," Andros answered and gazed at Ashley. "This is my girlfriend, Ashley Hammond." He turned to Shelly and Nellie. "This is Shelly Ling and her daughter, Nellie."

"It's nice to meet all of you," Cheyanne said sweetly and shook each of the teens' hands.

"It's nice to meet you too," Shelly replied and patted Nellie's back. "Nellie woke up from her nap before we came, so she's good to go."

"I see," Cheyanne said, clasping her hands together. "Well, come with me. We're ready to get this meeting started."

Cheyanne turned around and walked toward the stairs. Andros, Ashley, and Shelly followed her close behind. They went up the stairs and into the room. The group looked up.

"Guys, these are the newest members of our group. It's their first meeting, so we need to make them as comfortable as possible," Cheyanne said, going over to the armchair and sitting down. "This group is smaller than normal because the other members decided not to come due to the rescheduling."

Andros, Ashley, and Shelly went to the chairs. They seated themselves with light grunts. Shelly turned Nellie around and sat her in her lap. She placed the bag and purse on the floor next to her. Ashley did the same with her purse.

"My name is Shelly Ling. I'm eighteen years old," Shelly introduced and touched the top of Nellie's head. "This is my daughter, Nellie. She's two years old. "

"Hi," Nellie said and waved at the parents.

"Her father, Dougie Pearson, was my boyfriend. He isn't in her life because he died of leukemia when she was a year old. My parents, my grandmother, Nellie, and I just moved to Angel Grove from Denver. Dougie and I attended Thomas Jefferson High School there. We were fifteen when we learned we were expecting Nellie. We made love for the first time during a study date at his house. His parents were gone for the evening. They, my parents, and my grandmother were shocked at the news, but they accepted it. So did our friends. Teresa Marisol was my obstetrician. We started attending the Heartfelt Teen Parent Support Group at the Heartfelt Teen Center when I was three months along."

Cheyanne smiled lightly. "It's good to have experience with such a group, isn't it, Shelly?"

Shelly looked at her. "Yes, it is, Ms. Madsen. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Shelly shifted her attention back to the group. Nellie clapped three times before laying her hands in her lap. She babbled and smiled. She heard two clearing throats. She looked toward a sixteen-year-old boy and a seventeen-year-old girl, who was six months pregnant and showed a small bump.

The boy rubbed his nose before snorting. Being Asian, he was short for a man and was lean. His skin was quite pale. His black hair was in the style of a buzz cut. His eyes were hazel. The upper part of his right arm had a scar going from the top to the elbow.

The girl touched her stomach and felt the baby move a little bit. Being African-American, she was the same height as her boyfriend. Her skin was somewhat dark. Her short black hair was curly and up in a ponytail. Her eyes were dark brown, and her face was decorated with freckles.

"How long did you and Dougie date before you became pregnant?" the boy asked.

"We dated for a year. We used two layers of protection. I was on birth control while he used a condom. Both failed," Shelly explained regretfully.

"That's exactly what happened with my boyfriend and me," the girl said, touching the boy's arm. "By the way, I'm Cherry Walker."

"I'm Jeremy Lu," the boy added. "Cherry and I are expecting our baby on April 15. That's eight days before Easter." He smiled proudly.

"That's nice," Shelly commented in sweetness. "So, have you two lived in Angel Grove all your lives?"

"Oh, definitely. Our parents weren't exactly thrilled when we told them we were going to have a baby, but they came around. I got a part-time job working as a cashier at Rich Food Market. My shift is from three until seven-thirty Monday through Friday. I get paid ten bucks an hour," Jeremy answered with happiness.

"Really?" Andros and Ashley asked.

"Mm-hmm," Jeremy said, turning to the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Rich are excellent bosses to their employees. They treat everyone fairly. Cherry and I plan to get full-time jobs after we graduate Maravelle High School. It has a teen parent program. We signed up for it."

"We plan on getting full-time jobs after graduation too," Andros said, gesturing to himself and his girlfriend.

"Many teen parents don't get paid a wage as high as Jeremy does. Most are paid less than minimum wage," Cheyanne pointed out and let out a heavy sigh. "Many have bosses who work them like dogs. They get home late quite often. It's hard for them to do their homework _and_ take care of their children because they are so tired. As a result, they are at high risk of failing to graduate. I saw this a lot back in Raleigh when I went to high school there. Its high schools don't have teen parent programs. In fact, they didn't start sending students to alternative schools until after I graduated in 1978." She sniffled. "I hated seeing so many teen parents fail to complete school."

"It does stink," Jeremy admitted.

"When I moved here in 1985, I decided to start a teen center where teens could meet and discuss issues," Cheyanne commented. "This included teen parents. I was happy to learn that that most of this city's schools had teen parent programs, especially Angel Grove High. I've met many teen parents during the fifteen years I've run this center. Almost all of them have gone on to live productive lives. Several couples have even married." She smiled.

"Wow," Shelly said in awe. Everyone looked at each other. "Anyway, Dougie got a part-time job as a Pizza Hut cashier. He worked from three until eight Monday through Friday. He was paid seven bucks an hour. Nellie was born December 2, 1997. She was seven pounds six ounces. Dougie cried when she was born. He loved being a dad to her. Nine months later, he started feeling weak. Bruises appeared on his body. His lymph nodes became swollen. He was diagnosed with terminal leukemia and was given three to six months to live. He died two weeks after Nellie's first birthday. My grandmother cares for my daughter while I attend school. My parents work as doctors at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital."

Shelly sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. Everyone showed much sympathy for her, especially Andros, Ashley, Jeremy, and Cherry. Nellie emitted a soft coo. She covered her mouth with her hands.

"It's unfortunate Dougie is gone, but at least he was determined to be a good father to Nellie. Many men bolt the second they learn they are to be fathers," Jeremy hissed irritatingly.

Shelly scoffed. "No kidding. Many fathers at my old high school denied paternity of their children, even when they were the mothers' only sexual partners."

"Men will look for any excuse to not be in their children's lives. So will women," Cherry said seriously. "It's disgusting."

Ashley expressed some anger. "You said it."

"I guess we should go on and tell our story," Andros whispered, gazing at her. He turned to the others. "My name is Andros Parker. I was the Red Astro Ranger. I'm from KO-35, but I have permanent residence on Earth. I'm eighteen years old."

"My name is Ashley Hammond. I was the Yellow Astro Ranger. I'm eighteen years old. Andros is my boyfriend. I'm twelve weeks pregnant. We're expecting twins on July 22," Ashley added.

All the group members felt their jaws drop, except for Shelly and Nellie. They couldn't believe Power Rangers became teen parents. They thought Andros and Ashley's stint would have prevented them from making such a mistake. They decided to listen to them.

"Andros and I took a weekend trip to my aunt's cabin in the mountains north of Angel Grove in October. We made love for the first time. We conceived our twins on that night. We didn't use a condom. I was on birth control, but it failed. Our families and friends were angry with us at first when we told them, but they accepted our situation. We signed up for our school's teen parent program," Ashley explained.

"I got a part-time job working with Adelle at the Surf Spot. I work from three until seven Monday through Friday. I get paid eight bucks an hour. I attended Ashley's first two ultrasounds. She has an ultrasound once a month for now. Kai Chen is her obstetrician. We learned we were expecting twins at the first ultrasound," Andros added.

"Kai is my obstetrician too," Cherry said delightfully.

Ashley looked toward her along with Andros. "Really?"

Jeremy nodded. "Mm-hmm. I've attended Cherry's appointments with him. He knows his stuff, despite he's only thirty-five."

"That's so neat," Ashley whispered with much warmth. She became serious quickly. She and Andros shifted their attention back to the others. "Anyway, my grandparents did not take the news I was to be a mother well at all. They gave me an ultimatum. Either Andros and I marry, or we had to give up the babies for adoption."

Cherry showed shock along with the other parents and Cheyanne. "That's so cruel. Your grandparents had no right to demand that of you." She became angry.

"They sound like people who think preaching abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancy," Jeremy added, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, they believe that all right. In fact, Ashley's grandparents freaked out when they learned she was using birth control. Despite she said it was for her irregular periods, they didn't listen and went off on her parents about how they were encouraging her to have sex," Andros said.

"It was embarrassing," Ashley commented. "TJ's grandfather was a different story. He accepted Andros was to be a father. TJ Johnson is a friend of ours. He was the Blue Astro Ranger. His parents invited him and his sister, Karone, to live with them after they decided live on Earth permanently. Karone was once Astronema. Zhane Hardy is from the same planet they are from. He was the Silver Astro Ranger. Carlos Vallerte's parents invited him to live with them. He was the Black Astro Ranger. Cassie Chan's parents offered to let me live with them if my parents threw me out. She was the Pink Astro Ranger."

"Not once did I think two Power Rangers would become teen parents," Jeremy exclaimed.

"I'll say," Cherry said, a laugh leaving her mouth. "Being a Power Ranger doesn't make you immune to life's difficulties. If anything, you two have demonstrated you have maturity beyond your years by being the universe's saviors _and_ stepping up to be parents so young."

"For that, we salute you," Jeremy said proudly and saluted the couple, as did rest of group.

Andros sighed with great relief and took Ashley's hand into his. "Thank you. Thank you so much. We will fight to prove to everyone that we can be good parents to our children."

"I have no doubt you will do that," Cheyanne answered and laid her hand on the arm. Jeremy started sharing more of his and Cherry's story with Andros, Ashley, and Shelly.

00000

The entire group was in the yard forty-two minutes later. Shelly watched Nellie ride the tricycle. The current parents stood near the fence. They spoke with each other. The fathers held the babies. The single expectant mothers and Cheyanne sat in the chairs. Andros, Ashley, Jeremy, and Cherry were at the picnic table. The former two were on the left. The latter two were on the right. Andros and Ashley listened to Cherry tell them about her first ultrasound.

"The baby looked so tiny when Jeremy and I first saw it. Kai determined that I was six weeks along and that I would be due April 15. Jeremy and I were so happy we conceived our child during our first time making love," Cherry said, her face beaming with happiness.

"That's exactly how Ashley and I felt when we learned we had conceived our twins during our first time making love," Andros whispered, letting out a quiet sniffle. "Kai told her she was doing a great job at last week's ultrasound."

"That's what Kai told Cherry too when we went in for her second ultrasound last month. I can understand why you're having an ultrasound once a month, Ashley. You are more at risk of complications because you are carrying twins at eighteen years old," Jeremy commented, his voice lined with seriousness.

"I don't mind having an ultrasound once a month," Ashley answered matter-of-factly. "The best thing about my parents' health care plan is co-pay isn't required."

Cherry sighed in relief. "My parents' health care plan doesn't have co-pay as a requirement either." She laughed softly. "It's incredible we have the same obstetrician."

"I know," Ashley said, shaking her head. "Life's funny, isn't it?"

"That's what Ms. Twitchel told DJ when the latter discovered the former was her teacher in her nightmare about the SATs. That was in the _Full House_ episode called 'The Test.' It is the funniest episode of the whole series," Andros said, a big smile forming on his face.

Jeremy yawned. "It sure is. Everything DJ imagined going wrong occurred. The funniest part is Kimmy got a perfect score." He broke into a fit of laughter.

Andros blew a raspberry. "In real life, that would've been impossible for an intellectually-deficient girl like her. Kimmy didn't even know what that meant."

"I think her brain left her head before she was born," Cherry joked, as Jeremy grew quiet.

Ashley shrugged. "Who knows?"

Jeremy slipped his arm around Cherry's shoulder and gave her a small hug. He kissed her temple before rubbing it gingerly.

"If there is one thing I am grateful for, it's that this teen parent support group exists," Andros said, sighing contently. "It's good to know Ashley and I aren't alone in this situation."

"We've been nervous about this meeting. We actually thought everyone in the group would react badly when we told our story," Ashley muttered, tensing somewhat.

"Students have said we are complete jokes now," Andros growled angrily.

"You two are not jokes. You made a mistake, but you're taking responsibility for it," Cherry assured.

"You won't believe this, but some Asian students who attend my school bully me constantly because I have a black girl as my girlfriend and the mother of my child. They say blacks are nothing more than savage animals who enjoy making trouble and leeching off the welfare system," Jeremy said disgustedly.

"That's terrible," Andros replied and scoffed.

"I have never caused any trouble. Nor has my family ever been on welfare," Cherry growled in fierceness. "Those Asians aren't just racist toward blacks. They are also racist toward Hispanics. They say all Hispanics are in the United States illegally and leech off the welfare system." She mumbled inaudible words.

"Carlos's family isn't here illegally. Nor have they ever been on welfare. They've been here for generations. Every member of the Vallertes has been a hard worker," Ashley commented.

"Jeremy and I know several Hispanics who enjoy working hard. They are very determined to make something of themselves," Cherry said.

"If there is one thing I do know, it's that those racist Asians are destined for a very lonely existence," Andros said bluntly.

Ashley, Jeremy, and Cherry voiced their agreement. Jeremy started talking about the time he and Cherry were caught up in a food fight in their school's cafeteria during their freshman year.


	113. Toward the Future

Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one hundred thirteen of "Not Here" and the final one. The fic has come to an end after twenty-one months of writing. It's been a long journey, but it was a satisfying one. I'm sad to see it end, but the sequel will be coming soon. I want to thank everyone who reviewed it. A special shoutout goes to Tasha Hill, Alex B Goode, Ghostwriter, brankel1, TommyOliverMMPRFan, and Ms. Catherine Willmon 2017 for being continuous reviewers. Your support means the world to me. Anyway, this chapter has some Andros/Ashley. I will write one shots for various fandoms.

XXXXX

Chapter 113: Toward the Future

The early evening moon beamed its rays on the Hammond residence. A northern mockingbird flew in and landed on the sink's windowsill. It looked inside to see Ashton and Anna listening to Andros and Ashley talk about the teen parent support group while sitting at the kitchen table. Ashton sat at the head. Anna was on his left. Andros and Ashley were on his right.

"Jeremy told us some Asian students who attend his and Cherry's school are constantly bullying him because he has a black girl as his girlfriend and the mother of his child," Andros said, scoffing irritatingly.

"Those Asians call blacks savage animals who love making trouble and leeching off the welfare system," Ashley added, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief.

"They aren't just racist toward blacks. They're racist toward Hispanics as well. They claim all Hispanics are here illegally and leech off the welfare system," Andros muttered, letting out a heavy sigh.

"It's awful Jeremy and Cherry have to deal with people like that," Ashton replied sadly.

"You always hear people say only whites can be racist. White racism is the most well-known form of racism because it's been documented the most. However, other races are just as likely to be racist as whites are. People can be racist against their own race," Anna commented bluntly and crossed her arms.

"Remember Malaika Griffin?" Ashton said, holding up his hand. "She hates white people with a passion. She lived next door to Jason Patrick Horsley and his girlfriend, Deborah Loiselle, in Denver. They were a white couple. She looked for any excuse to pick fights with them. On May 18, 1999, she got into an argument with Jason over his laying his tools on the sidewalk in front of her house after work. She went inside and came out with a nine-millimeter handgun that had a laser sight. She shot him in the back, killing him instantly."

"She fled to the home of an acquaintance named Monique Thomas and stole her car at gunpoint. She drove away quickly. The car was found abandoned in Iowa City. She was last seen boarding a bus to Chicago. No one has seen her since," Anna said, a hint of fear lining her voice.

"Police found a nine-millimeter carbine, ammunition and hand grenades in Malaika's apartment," Ashton said, swallowing hard. "They also found the library of a terrorist with books about terrorism and bomb making, including _The Anarchist Cookbook,_ _Home Workshop Silencers,_ and _The Poor Man's James Bond._ They found a journal detailing her deep hatred of whites." He shuddered in much disgust and expressed anger.

"That woman is probably looking over her shoulder everywhere she goes now. The creepiest thing about this situation is she could be anywhere," Andros said with much uncertainty.

"She could've chosen to move out of her home, but she was too eager to start fights with Jason and Deborah over the littlest things," Ashley hissed fiercely.

"I hope the police find her soon," Andros said in determination. "She needs to be locked away for good."

The others voiced their agreement. The mockingbird turned around and spread its wings. It flew into the sky, its chirps echoing on the wind.

"Despite the racism, Jeremy and Cherry said they were determined not to let the bullying get to them," Andros said, scratching his nose.

"That's good," Ashton answered warmly.

Ashley smiled happily. "Those two are looking forward to becoming parents as much as Andros and I are. Moreover, Cherry and I have the same obstetrician."

"I can't say I'm surprised Cherry has Kai as her obstetrician. He has taken on many teen moms throughout his career," Anna said, propping her head up with her elbow.

Andros chuckled. "Mm-hmm. Ashley and I are very glad we made several new friends, especially Jeremy and Cherry."

"That teen parent meeting was so beneficial to us. We learned so many details about teen parenthood, including teen parents being paid less than minimum wage and being worked like dogs in some cases. The best part is the group accepted Power Rangers could become teen parents," Ashley said, sighing in relief.

"Shelly's presence gave us much comfort. Nellie was as quiet as a mouse, except when she spoke. That wasn't often," Andros added.

Anna sniffled. "It warms my and Ashton's hearts that you two enjoyed the teen parent support group." She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Best of all, you got to see that you weren't alone in your situation," Ashton commented, sobs rising in his throat.

"That we aren't," Andros agreed.

Anna laid her hand on the table. She felt Ashton take it into his and give it a gentle squeeze. She placed her other one over his.

"By the way, the group will be having a picnic in the park on the first Saturday in May," Andros commented, licking his lips. "It will start at noon. All the parents will bring their children. If Ashley is feeling well enough, we're going to attend."

"Oh, that sounds like fun," Anna said, a giggle coming out of her mouth.

"I looked at Cherry's baby bump. It was small. I have little doubt mine will be big by the time I get to six months," Ashley said, laying her hand on her stomach. "Adrian Lyles works out regularly at Reynolds Fitness Gym. She is nineteen years old and four months pregnant with her and Harry Hemsworth's first child. He didn't attend the meeting because he was sick. She told me the best exercises for twin pregnancies were riding low-ground stationary bikes, doing prenatal yoga, and walking. Her parents pay thirty dollars a month for her membership. I was wondering if I could sign up for one since it has low-ground stationary bikes."

Anna cupped her chin in her hand. "I don't see why not."

"In fact, how about Andros signs up for a membership too?" Ashton suggested. "After all, he's been talking about working out with you whenever it's possible."

"I'd like that, sir. Thanks," Andros said, a big smile crossing his face. "The best days for me to work out with Ashley would be on the weekends. Since she will see Kai more often as her pregnancy gets into the later months, I can work out with her on those afternoons."

"I'm fine with that," Ashley said, looking at him and kissing his cheek.

Ashton laughed and gave the lovebirds thumbs-ups as they looked at him. "As are Anna and I."

"Just don't bike all the way to Canada," Anna joked.

"Andros and I will bike all the way to Canada if we want to!" Ashley yelled cheerfully as she and Andros turned to her.

Ashton and Anna blew raspberries at the couple. Andros and Ashley responded in kind. They smiled at each other. They began talking about preparations for going to the hospital once Ashley's due date drew near.

00000

Ashley was brushing her hair in the upstairs bathroom in the late evening. She finished that and laid the brush on the counter next to the sink. She straightened the sleeves on her green nightshirt. She lifted it to expose her stomach. She touched her stomach and rubbed it very lightly. She lowered her nightshirt. She smoothed it out with both of her hands.

Ashley sighed contently. She couldn't wait for the next teen parent support group meeting. She wanted to see the new friends she made again so much. She was grateful to them for making her, Andros, Shelly, and Nellie feel so comfortable. She hoped to meet the rest of the group's members. She saw Andros coming up behind her in the mirror. He touched her shoulders.

"You just had to come up behind me, didn't you?" she teased.

"Yep. There isn't no way you can stop me from doing that," he said, snickering under his breath.

"You know you're not supposed to use double negatives. You're insulting the English language," Ashley responded sternly.

"Too bad. I will use double negatives, anyway," Andros growled playfully. "It don't matter no more." He spoke gibberish.

"Hey, you used double negatives _and_ a plural contraction with a singular word!" Ashley blurted out in mock annoyance.

"I will continue doing both," Andros said and ruffled hair. "You better not try to stop me."

She reached behind him and smacked him upside the head. He gave her a slap to her shoulder in retaliation. They shared a laugh.

"You're really something, Andros," Ashley whispered in a warm voice.

"I'm glad you said that. If you hadn't, I would've held you in a headlock until you did," Andros commented, a smirk forming on his face.

She growled softly as he slipped his arms around her. "Oh, you!"

Ashley brought both of her hands to Andros's arm. She felt him rock her from side to side. Both of them emitted contented sighs.

"It's been quite a day," Ashley said, a long yawn leaving her mouth. She smacked her lips.

"It sure has," Andros agreed. "We made love three times before we went to McDonald's. We had a nice lunch that ended with you craving a vanilla milkshake. We went to our first teen parent support group meeting. We got to know several teen parents. We played with the children while we were at the teen center."

"Something tells me we will make more friends at the next meeting," Ashley whispered eagerly.

He laughed to himself. "It will be interesting to meet the other teen parents. I hope they are just as accepting of us as the others were."

"I think they will be," Ashley assured. "If some of them aren't, then who cares? We'll just continue attending the group meetings."

"That we will," Andros said, kissing her temple. "If we were on KO-35, many people would've accepted your pregnancy, including my parents if they were alive."

"Yes, but we aren't there. We are on Earth. Many Earthlings won't accept my pregnancy," Ashley whispered with some dejection.

"Maybe some Earthlings haven't, but we have plenty of support from our families and friends," Andros pointed out gently.

She sniffled. "Yep."

Andros planted another kiss to Ashley's temple. He stopped rocking her and let go of her. He moved his hands to her shoulders. He rubbed them slowly yet surely.

"Andros, I want to thank you for being there for me throughout this whole situation. You've done so much for me ever since I told you I was pregnant," Ashley whispered, a tear falling from her eye.

"In the beginning, I was scared about being a father so young. Now, I'm not," Andros admitted firmly.

"I was scared about being a mother so young in the beginning, but I'm not anymore," Ashley said, letting out a soft sniffle. "I will continue taking care of myself, so I will give birth to healthy babies. Then I will be the damn best mother I can be."

"I will continue taking care of you throughout your pregnancy. Then I will be the best damn father I can be," Andros declared.

"I love you," Ashley said, looking over her shoulder at him.

"I love you too," Andros whispered lovingly and kissed her on the lips. "Let's go to bed, shall we?"

"Okay," Ashley answered with a nod.

The couple walked out of the bathroom. Andros turned off the light along the way. He and Ashley headed for their room. They got into the bed. He laid on his back. She snuggled up to him and laid her head on his chest. He switched off the lamp before slipping his arms around her.

Andros and Ashley closed their eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep. Their soft breathing could be heard. Though the journey toward teen parenthood would be hard, they would continue to have the support of their friends and families. Moreover, they would have each other. With the power of love, anything was possible.

THE END


End file.
